HEAT
by
Michael Mann
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
REVISED DRAFT
March 3, 1994
Converted to PDF by SCREENTALK
www.screentalk.org
EXT. CEDARS-SINAI - WIDE - DAY
A monolith with alienating foregrounds. A bus pulls in on
Beverly. NEIL McCAULEY and a nurse get off. Neil carries
a paper bag and wears white pants like a hospital attendant.
Neil is an ice-cold professional: very big, very tough.
At 42 his short black hair is graying. He spent eight
years in McNeil and three in San Quentin. He got out and
hit the street in 1987. Four of the McNeil years were
spent in the hole. Neil's voice is street, but his language
is precise like an engineer's. He's very careful and very
good. Neil runs a professional crew that pulls down high
line, high number scores and does it anyway the score has
to be taken down: if on the prowl (a burglary), that's
fine; if they have to go in strong (armed), that's fine
too. And if you get in their way, that's got to be your
problem. His lifestyle is obsessively functional. There's
no steady woman or any encumbrance. Neil McCauley keeps
it so there's nothing he couldn't walk from in 30 seconds
flat.
ANGLE
Right now, he enters the big double doors and pulls a white
intern's coat from his paper bag.
CUT TO:
INT. CEDARS-SINAI CORRIDOR - TRAVELING TWO SHOT - DAY
We DOLLY on Neil as he crosses through the long crowded
corridor. Patients, nurses, interns and doctors pass by.
A P.A. broadcasts occasional messages.
PROFILE
Nail crosses under an "EMERGENCY" sign and keeps going
towards the exit doors.
TRAVELING - FRONTAL
Neil APPROACHES THE CAMERA. From the other direction two
ambulance attendants wheel an old man under oxygen and
pass by Neil.
CUT TO:
WIDE REAR SHOT
Without breaking his stride from the moment he got off the
bus, Neil exits through the doors, examines four ambulances
parked in the slots, climbs into one and drives off. Maybe
he's stolen it. We don't know.
CUT TO:
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EXT. R & C CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES - ON CHRIS - DAY
CHRIS SHIHERLIS crosses past stacks of gravel and cement
with a white-coated BLACK CLERK. Chris wears a hard hat
over a mongol cut, Levi's, black boots and a sleeveless
sweat shirt and carries on one shoulder a 150 lb., red,
Milwaukee Tool Company case. He looks like a construction
worker by day who by night hits L.A's slams, jams and raves.
He's 29, from Austin, Texas. Chris is also a highline
pro: a boxman who knows five ways to open any safe made.
Right now he's buying a hollow core drill. He and McCauley
were cellmates in San Quentin Penitentiary from 1984 to
1987. Chris hit the streets in 1988. He's a hot dog and
spends money as fast as he makes it. Right now, he and
the Clerk exit to the sales counter.
CUT TO:
EXT. SALES COUNTER - TWO SHOT
As they approach, the Clerk goes behind it.
CLERK
What you working on?
CHRIS
Drillin' some post holes into
concrete ...
CLERK
(re: toolcase)
With that you can ream solid
steel. Check, charge, or cash?
CHRIS
Cash. Put "Jack's Fencing" on
the receipt.
CLERK
$788. 30
Chris pays; Clerk writes receipt.
CLERK
(continuing)
...that a good racket? I ought
to get out from behind this
counter...
CHRIS
(takes receipt)
Yeah.
(beat)
Take it easy.
He leaves with the heavy red case.
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INT. "TOYS 'R' US STORE" - ON CERRITO - DAY
MICHAEL CERRITO - at 40 - is looking at a doll house.
He's a wide, thick, coarse-featured big man. Sicilian
from Sunnyside, he's spent 15 years in Attica, Joliet and
Marion penitentiaries. He's strictly a "cowboy": his
natural inclination towards a score is "...get the guns
and let's go." He's been off smack and everything else
for five years. He's clean and sober. He's the nicest
guy on the block and a loving father. If you get in his
way, he'll kill you as soon as look at you. If you asked
him about the contradictions, he wouldn't know what you
were talking about.
CLOSE OR DOLL HOUSE DETAILS
It's 3 x 6 and two feet high. Miniature room sets are
inside. Cerrito's thick fingers close the door. He picks
it up. WIDEN. He crosses to a counter and MIDDLE-AGED
CLERK.
CERRITO
Wrap this here up.
CLERK
Yessir. You're going to have a
happy little girl.
CERRITO
Two. I got two girls.
CLERK
That's nice.
CERRITO
Yeah. And gimme those three
masks there.
Clerk takes down Clark Gable, Three-eyed Monster, and
Beautiful Lady, full-head rubber masks.
CERRITO
(continuing)
Gimme Donald Duck, too
CLERK
(does and laughs)
A little early for Halloween?
CERRITO
Yeah. Halloween's coming early
this year. What do I owe you?
CUT TO:
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INT. CONDOMINIUM - A HAND - MORNING
Slides across the back of JUSTINE'S thigh.
JUSTINE'S AND HANNA'S FACES
She is 29, auburn, languorous, her eyes are closed and she
makes love with her husband, VINCENT HANNA. Pressing her
face to his, their hair intertwined... It's morning. We
are in an expensive condominium.
WIDE
The two bodies locked into the rhythms of their love-making,
twisted in white sheets. OFF SCREEN a shower runs.
CUT TO:
INT. SHOWER - HANNA
Is in it. The water streams off his body. The glass is
misted. He turns off only the hot and breathes fast in
the cold spray. OFF SCREEN a cigarette lighter CLICKS.
CUT TO:
BEDROOM - JUSTINE
smoking, still under the white sheets, watches Hanna dress.
JUSTINE
... taking me out to breakfast?
HANNA
(looks at watch)
Can't. Bosko's waiting..
LAUREN
(passing door)
Hi Vincent. Mom, where's my
barrettes?
LAUREN, Justine's daughter, is 15 and tall and anxious.
HANNA
Hi, sweetie.
JUSTINE
I saw them on the kitchen
(to Hanna)
Want me to make coffee?
HANNA
(to Lauren in other
room)
No school today?
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LAUREN (O.S.)
Daddy's picking me up! We're
going to see the new site and
then shopping and lunch.
(beat)
They're not on the table.
JUSTINE
Then I don't know...
(to Hanna)
He's already half an hour late.
HANNA
He gonna show? Or the son of a
bitch gonna stand her up like
last time?
Hanna clips a 2" .38 in his waistband. Justine shrugs and
shakes her head.
JUSTINE
(starting out of
bed)
Want the coffee?
HANNA
I'm out of time...
He leaves.
JUSTINE
Falls back on the pillow,
disappointed. It's as if she'd
been stood-up. The bed sheet
falls half off of her. She's
exposed, vulnerable. She looks
out the window, occluded by light
muslin, away from us and exhales.
CUT TO:
INT. MACARTHUR PARK, MEN'S ROOM - ON WAINGRO - DAY
Bare-chested washing at a sink. WAINGRO'S 27. He sports
prison tattoos including an Aryan Brotherhood swastika
covering his abdomen. He's a graduate of the "gladiator
academies," Chino and Tracy.
He's dressed in Army and Navy Store gray workman's clothes.
He combs his long hair straight back off his round forehead.
Now he tucks his shirt in and puts on wrap around shades.
CUT TO:
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EXT. MACARTHUR PARK - WAINGRO
Waits. His shell jacket is in a tight roll under his arm.
Then a garbage truck - a Dempsey Dumpster (the kind with a
power forklift on the front) - pulls up.
CUT TO:
INT. TRUCK - WIDE - DAY
Michael Cerrito is the driver.
CERRITO
You Waingro?
WAINGRO
Yeah.
He climbs in. Cerrito pulls out. Waingro - delayed -
offers his hand. Cerrito has to wait until he finishes
his gear change to shake it. The timing's a little weird.
WAINGRO
(continuing loud)
You're Cerrito huh?
(pause)
What kinda guy is this Neil?
CERRITO
(loud)
Okay.
Just do like he says. Exactly... like ... he ... says.
They have to talk loudly over the clapped-out ENGINE'S
NOISE.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEY - ON GARBAGE TRUCK - DAY
It's ABRUPTLY QUIET. The truck's parked. The two men sit
idly. Waingro finishes take-out coffee and tosses the
empty.
INT. TRUCK - CERRITO
Lights a cigarette. Belatedly, he offers one to Waingro.
Waingro lights up. The two men relax under the swirls of
blue smoke.
WAINGRO
You guys always work together?
CERRITO
All the time.
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WAINGRO
Real tight crew, huh?
CERRITO
That's right.
Awkward pause.
WAINGRO
This works good, maybe I could
go again?
Cerrito looks at Waingro. He wants to protect his
concentration.
CERRITO
Yeah. Stop talking, slick...
It ends the conversation. Waingro drums his fingernails
on the dash. He's anxious.
CUT TO:
CHEVY TOWTRUCK - ON TOWNER - DAY
TOWNER'S a sloppy, nondescript man in his 40's. He slouches
behind the wheel. A Bearcat 210 Scanner is under the dash
and a walkie-talkie on the seat. As in the garbage truck,
it's quiet and he waits. Then:
NEIL (V.O.)
(radio filter)
You ready if I need you?
TOWNER
(into radio; low)
Yeah.
NEIL (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Got their air?
TOWNER
Yeah.
At a low level we HEAR POLICE CALLS.
CUT TO:
INT. AMBULANCE - TWO SHOT - DAY
Chris and Neil are sitting in the front seat of the
ambulance Neil drove away from the hospital.
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RADIO ANNOUNCER
(radio filter)
...Daddio's jazz patio on KDCA.
Brought to you this fine day,
which is A-okay, by Twister.
Hey, mister, go out and buy a
bottle of that
Twister...Wiiiiiine...
NEIL
Turn it off.
Chris turns it OFF. A little anxiety develops.
CUT TO:
INT. GARBAGE TRUCK - TWO SHOT - DAY
CERRITO
(checks watch)
Time.
Waingro stubs out his cigarette in nervous jabs. Cerrito
pulls from a paper bag two of the rubber masks he bought
and surgical gloves. He and Waingro put them on quickly.
Cerrito has the monster mask three eyes and a twisted mouth.
Waingro is a beautiful woman. Their movements now are
very fast. Cerrito pulls the truck out of the alley.
CERRITO'S POV:
As we approach the street an armored truck passes by. We
fall in behind. At this point we realize these men are
going to pull down an armed robbery of this armored truck.
But, we turn LEFT. The armored truck went straight. Then
we turn RIGHT. However we SEE the armored truck again.
It turned left. Our paths will intersect at 90 degrees.
Meanwhile:
CUT TO:
INT. AMBULANCE - ON NEIL - DAY
He checks the chamber and then inserts into the grip of
his 9mm. Browning a 14-shot clip. Chris works the slide
of a Remington 810, 12-gauge shotgun and puts on a welder's
helmet. Neil pulls on the rubber mask of Donald Duck and
slings a stopwatch on a string around his neck.
CHRIS
Their response time?
NEIL
Two minutes, fifty seconds.
CUT TO:
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EXT. STREET - WIDE ON AMBULANCE + STREET BEHIND IT
The lumbering armored truck approaches...
NEIL (V.O.)
(calm)
We ought to be down the chute
into the escape route in 2:20.
(beat; breath)
Here we go...
CUT TO:
INT. ARMORED TRUCK - DRIVER'S POV: APPROACHING AMBULANCE -
DAY
With FLASHERS going. Suddenly it pulls diagonally across
the narrow street, as if trying a three point turn: Driver
of the armored truck slams on his brakes.
CUT TO:
INT. GARBAGE TRUCK - CERRITO'S POV: ARMORED TRUCK IN
PROFILE - DAY
We're accelerating at it.
CERRITO'S FOOT
punches the accelerator.
FRONTAL: GARBAGE TRUCK
a prehistoric beast charging at us.
CERRITO'S POV: JAMMING
at the armored truck.
COLLISION
We SLAM into it,
WIDE: ARMORED TRUCK
knocked onto its side, crushes against a wall.
CUT TO:
INT. ARMORED CAR - DRIVER - DAY
Stunned, pinned inside. Their world is sideways. It rains
desposit slips. GUARD ONE grabs the radio mike:
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GUARD #1
(into mike)
211! We're being taken down!
EXT. ALLEY - ON REAR OF ARMORED TRUCK
Neil, Chris, Cerrito and Waingro are on the move...
INT. CHEVY APACHE PICKUP - TOWNER - DAY
Listens to his BEARCAT POLICE SCANNER,
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Car 74, what's your ETA to the
211 in progress Hoover and 14th?
Over.
CAR 74 (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Car 74. Three minutes. Over.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Car 74. Take it. Car 37, you're
back-up. Car...
TOWNER
(into radio to Neil)
There's the call. Three minutes.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - VEIL
With his radio earpiece starts a CHRONOMETER with a LOUD
CLICK.
ARMORED TRUCK - CHRIS
in a welder's mask with the hollow core drill drives the
10" diameter bit into the truck's armored plating. Neil
looks at his stopwatch.
WATCH:
28, 29, 30, 31, 32...
CLOSE - DRILL BIT
SCREAMING of metal as the hollow-core bit tears through
steel.
SHOTS
Neil with his Browning. Cerrito has an AR15 with its stock
collapsed. Waingro has a 9mm. Beretta.
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CHRIS
The bit has cut a 10" circle into the side through the
armored plating. Now Chris heaves the drill aside, steps
away, swings up his shotgun as...
CERRITO
swings a sledgehammer at the 10" disc. It falls inside
as.
NEIL
pulls the pin and tosses a grenade into the hole. It
EXPLODES and pours smoke.
NEIL
(yelling after it)
Next one blows you up! Out!
Now...
(beat;'shouts)
Now!
INT. ARMORED CAR - GUARD ONE
Coughing. His mask doesn't work. He lurches for the
door...
EXT. STREET - ARMORED CAR
Door crashes down, opens, Guard One falls out. Then GUARD
TWO. The DRIVER comes out his door. Cerrito grabs him.
Neil handles the two Guards.
NEIL
Up against the wall!
He yanks their guns away - his 9mm. At the back of each
man's head in turn.
THE DRIVER
tries to twist away as a reflex. Cerrito cracks him in
the face with the AR15, driving him to the wall.
WIDE: CERRITO + WAINGRO
cover the three. Neil moves into the Armored Truck to
join Chris who's already inside, ripping it apart,
searching. We see him disregard cash.
NEIL'S STOPWATCH
1:12.
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NEIL
(to Chris)
8o seconds left. Move it.
WAINGRO
behind the Beautiful Lady mask: trying hard to do good.
His gun jumps from Guard to Guard to Guard.
NEIL
looks at Waingro. WIDEN. Waingro's aware of Neil's
scrutiny.
WAINGRO
(to Guard Two)
Flatten - up against it! Higher!
He slaps the back of Guard Two's head with the gun barrel.
GUARD TWO
(a big, boastful
man, quietly)
...you didn't have that gun..
WAINGRO
What?!
CERRITO
(cuts in; cool)
That's true, slick, cause you're
a real tough guy. But he has
the gun. And me, too. So shut
the fuck up.
WIDE
Neil and Chris emerge from the van with one manila envelope.
NEIL
Move out!
(checks watch)
38 seconds left!
WIDE: WAINGRO
It's like Waingro can't hear. He's fixated with Guard
Two. Guard Two turns and looks at him arrogantly - more
concerned with his masculine pride than his safety. He's
a stupid man.
WAINGRO'S POV: VERY WIDE
Things happen slowly.
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WAINGRO (O.S.)
(quietly)
...hadda mouth off? In front of
them?
Waingro's arm points out at the man - with the gun at the
end - and FIRES.
ANGLE
Guard Two is blown up against the wall. Driver moves...
NEIL
leaving, spins.
DRIVER
reaching for a two-inch hammerless .38 back-up tucked in
his boot. As he brings it up...
NEIL'S 9MM. BROWNING
FIRES TWO HAMMERED-ON SHOTS.
CERRITO'S AR15
covers Guard One. Guard One stares at the men in the masks.
Once killing begins, he knows what will happen. Cerrito
looks at Neil...
NEIL
angry; nods.
CERRITO
kills Guard One with THREE SHOTS.
ON AMBULANCE
Neil literally throws Waingro into the back.
INT. AMBULANCE - ON CERRITO - DAY driving, lays rubber
down the alley. ON NEIL at watch.
NEIL
(disgusted)
Ten. Nine.
(tosses the watch;
into walkie-talkie
to Towner)
Blew the margin. Here we come.
CUT TO:
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INT. WHITE CHEVY APACHE TOWTRUCK - ON TOWNER - DAY
We HEAR police dispatcher on the Bearcat scanner.
TOWNER
(into radio)
One on your tail.
NEIL
(V.O.)
Here we come.
Towner drops the walkie-talkie out the window. He's
fastened a professional racing harness.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - REAR SHOT ON AMBULANCE - DAY
Skidding right into another side street.
REVERSE: BLACK + WHITE
in Code 3 scraping between the garbage truck and wall -
roars TO CAMERA. One cop already has his shotgun up.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE STREET - WIDE: AMBULANCE - DAY
Left down the street with FLASHERS going.
WIDE PROFILE: AMBULANCE
Streaks THROUGH THE FRAME. HOLD and SEE the Chevy towtruck
with Towner.
TOWNER
guns the engine.
BLACK + WHITE
bounces around the corner, the rear end comes out, skidding
left. Towner floors the towtruck. We SEE it's heavy front
bumper RAM the police car sideways.
EXT. GAS STATION - BLACK + WHITE
Is SMASHED SIDEWAYS into the station, careens off two cars
filling up...
ANGLE
... plows through a rack of pumps, takes out the air and
water reservoirs and wraps itself around a lamppost.
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Towner's towtruck's gone.
CUT TO:
EXT. RESIDENTIAL SIDE STREET - AMBULANCE - DAY
Pulls in and parks. Everyone abandons it, leaving masks,
rubber gloves, equipment, outer clothing inside. They
cross to a Chevrolet Caprice. They climb in. They pull
out.
CUT TO:
EXT. GAS STATION - WIDE - DAY
One cop has a cut forehead, tries to stand. Two more black
and whites pull in - flashers going. The driver staggers
out from behind the wheel and tries to shake clarity into
his head. He sits on the pavement.
CUT TO:
EXT. LAX PARKING LOT - WIDE BETWEEN THE CARS - DAY
Planes ROAR overhead in landings or takeoffs. Yellow vapor
lamps glare. It's gaudy with lights. Neil and a man named
NATE are parked next to each other facing opposite
directions. Nate's 50 - an ex-prize fighter with his nose
all over his face in a silver Mercedes. His big muscles
have gone to flab. He wears a yellow rayon shirt. He's
deeply tanned and pock-narked.
Nate functions as a middleman and fence for Neil. All
calls from people who want to contact Neil come to Nate.
Right now he examines the manila envelope from the armored
truck. Neil's in a Lincoln Town car, gray suit, white
shirt, no tie.
CLOSE: ENVELOPE
contains 80 x $20,000 negotiable Treasury Certificates.
Nate's counting.
NATE
A million, six at 40 cents onna
dollar's 640. Here's a hundred
forty thou front money. Get you
the rest, 2-3 days.
WIDE - FROM THE FRONT
Nate gives a large envelope to Neil.
NATE
What happened out there?
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NEIL
I don't want to talk about it.
NATE
(re-examining
securities)
Wait a minute.
NEIL
What's the matter?
NATE
(laughs)
You know who these belong to?
NEIL
(takes manila
envelope)
"Malibu Securities ...
NATE
You know John Van Zant?
NEIL
No.
NATE
Malibu Securities is a brokerage
he controls. Planned
bankruptcies, made out during
the S&L's, money laundering...
Nate pulls T.C.'s.
NATE
(continuing; laughs)
You ripped off his Treasury
Certificates.
NEIL
So what?
He's got insurance.
NATE
That's the point. On top of
collecting his insurance, maybe
he wants to buy back his bonds.
From him I can get you 60 cents
on the dollar instead of 40.
Means an extra 320 to you.
NEIL
Try it on.
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NATE
You know Cezar Kelso?
NEIL
By reputation.
NATE
He's got this score he's putting
out and wants you to look at.
NEIL
What do I need look at his score
for? I got my own.
NATE
He said you'll get near eight
figures. Very clean.
NEIL
(beat; then:)
9:00a.M. tomorrow.
NATE
Take it easy.
Neil starts the car. Nate pulls away in his Mercedes.
WIDE
an L1011 ROARS overhead. Neil pulls out.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEY - WIDE ON PAVEMENT - DAY
We're looking at chalk outlines of the bodies of Guard one
and Driver from the armored truck. The pavement is
bloodstained. Bright lights illuminate the crime scene.
HANNA (O.S.)
Where's the ambulance?
HEINZ (O.S.)
They dumped it four blocks from
here...
WIDEN TO REVEAL Hanna who we now identify as a police
lieutenant of detectives. He's just arrived. The alley's
been roped off with sawhorses labeled "crime area." The
armored truck with the holed side is still there. One of
Hanna's crew, DRUCKER, a black intelligence analyst and
technician at 45, was already there. A uniformed SGT.
HEINZ was there first and by procedure took command. It's
his crime scene.
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HEINZ
Masks, guns, radios - all left
behind. No prints.
HANNA
What about the crash, the white
towtruck.
Two more of Hanna's crew arrive in an unmarked car and
join him: CASALS - bald at 30 and wiry; BOSKO - a huge,
oversized man.
HEINZ
Hasn't turned up. Got a witness:
janitor next door.
HANNA
I.D. anybody? Plate?
Description?
HEINZ
Shhaaapes ...
(beat)
One big. One thin. He heard
it...
Guy's nearly blind.
HANNA
(re: body outlines)
What about them?
DRUCKER
According to the janitor, he...
(Guard Two outline)
Started mouthing off to one of
the gunmen.
HANNA
Oh, that was smart.
DRUCKER
I figure the other went for...
(points)
... that gun when the shooting
started. One guy called a guard
"slick."
HANNA
"Slick?"
DRUCKER
Yeah. And they ignored the loose
cash.
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HANNA
'Cause they had no time, cause
they knew our response time,
cause they were on our air.
HEINZ
You recognize their m.o.?
HANNA
Yeah. Their m.o. is that they
are good. Once it escalated
into a Murder One beef for all
of them after they killed the
first two, they popped guard
number three 'cause it didn't
rake any difference anymore, so
why leave a living witness?
Drop of a hat? They'll rock and
roll. Also: the way they went
into the side indicates they are
equipped to go in on the prowl.
So also start looking for recent
highline burgularies that have
'mystified' us.
(to Drucker)
Run the "slick" bit to the FBI
and see what it kicks out.
DRUCKER
I called it in already.
HANNA
(to Casals)
Split the fences. I'll take
Cuzomano and Torena. You take
the East side. Go through the
tapes of who we been listening
to.
(to Drucker)
Hang in with Forensics on all
physical evidence.
(to Bosko)
How'd they know the route of the
van and what it was carrying?
Does Gage print the day's routes?
What do they do with the
printouts? Who collects their
trash? Run makes on all their
middlemanagement. Did someone
give this score up?
(beat)
Check the three guards. See if
one of them was a tipster.
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BOSKO
What's the vibe: home-grown or
out-of-town?
HANNA
Out-of-town. Frankly, I hope
they are scoring once and passing
through. And I doubt it.
HEINZ
This going to stay in Area?
HANNA
This look like boosters working
the local Seven Eleven to you?
It goes to Major Crime.
(to his crew)
Go to work.
They move toward the Forensic Unit, scraping tire rubber
and measuring distances as we
CUT TO:
INT. EARLY 60'S COFFEE SHOP - WIDE - NIGHT
It's 1963 futuristic: flagstone and rubber plants. Most
of the patrons are night people: pimps, hookers, customers,
disintegrating couples, etc. We PAN AROUND the interior
and settle on a booth by a window. In the booth are Chris
and Cerrito on one side and Waingro alone.
WAINGRO
Anybody want some pie?
CERRITO
looks at Waingro, sips his coffee, and looks away again
Waingro is nervous.
CHRIS
sees something in the parking lot.
DOOR - NEIL
enters, crosses to the booth, slides in across from Waingro.
CLOSE
The four men huddle together and talk in a whisper. Neil
pulls out three yellow envelopes, presumably full of money.
Neil will talk about Waingro in the third person as if he
inanimate.
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NEIL
(whispered)
This is a partial split, but I
took out of ours - every - to
make up...
(Waingro's)
...his full end. Because I want
to settle him up and get rid of
this jagoff right now.
Cerrito and Chris looks at Waingro.
CERRITO
Okay.
Chris nods. Waingro's speechless. Neil flips him an
envelope.
NEIL
(whispering)
Fuck off.
Waingro doesn't move.
WAINGRO
(whispered; tense)
I had to dust him!
Neil grabs the back of Waingro's neck, slams the side of
his face onto the table top and flicks the middle finger
of his left against waingro's temple. Neil could kill
him.
NEIL
(whispered)
Electricity and chemicals a little
fucked up?
(flick)
You a shooter? Speed? What?
Flick. Cerrito looks around the coffee shop: it's quiet.
NEIL
(continuing;
whispered)
You didn't have to. Now we got
extra heat off a clean score.
Waingro does nothing. Neil shoves him into the corner of
the booth. Plates fall. All three get up and walk out.
CUT TO:
EXT. COFFEE SHOP, REAR PARKING LOT - WIDE - NIGHT
Neil, Cerrito and Chris cross past cars.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 22.
ANGLE - WAINGRO
whines, cries and charges into Neil's shoulder from behind
and spins him around, wanting to explain to him. This
time:
NEIL
knees Waingro in the stomach. Waingro folds over. Neil
slams both open palms on Waingro's ears and knees him in
the face. Waingro sprawls over a car hood and falls off.
CLOSER - NEIL
kicks Waingro in the side driving him between cars where
it is more secluded while Cerrito and Chris casually look
a-round and back away to cover him because they know Neil
is going to kill him now. As Neil draws his .45 ...
CERRITO
(low)
Hold it.
Neil looks. Across the street cruises a black and white.
He watches it pass. His attention goes back to Waingro.
As his .45 comes up.
CLOSER: NEIL
turning, mildly surprised.
NEIL'S POV: NOTHING
Waingro's disappeared.
WIDER: NEIL
searches under cars, carefully. Nothing.
HIGH + WIDE
Waingro's gone. Neil with Cerrito and Chris following
scan the spaces and shadows as they back out of the large
parking lot.
CUT TO:
INT. SHIHERLIS APARTMENT - ON CHARLENE - NIGHT
CHARLENE - twenty-six, in skin-tight black pants and black
hair. They're on their way out. The apartment is heavy
on computer games, video gear, appliances and children's
furniture. Re: envelope:
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 23.
CHARLENE
(counts the money)
Where's the rest?
CHRIS
That's it.
CHARLENE
Eight thousand dollars? You
gotta be kidding me!
Chris enters from the bedroom. While buttoning a shirt,
he's mostly oblivious. It frustrates the hell out of
Charlene.
CHRIS
(off-handed)
I squared the bookies and we had
to pay off some guy and were
short to start 'cause the rest
is comin', in a coupla days. So
don't sweat it.
(checks watch)
We're late.
Slips on a boot.
CHARLENE
Listen to me. "As The World
Turns" can get interrupted with
a news flash of you splattered
all over the street ...
Pulls on boot two.
CHARLENE
(continuing; running
on)
I can get sent up on an accessory
beef. Your son, Dominick, winds
up in a home. For $8,000?
(voice breaks)
Honey, for $8,000, it ain't worth
the risk. Risk versus reward?
Baby?
CHRIS
Don't worry about money. Neil's
got...
(checks watch)
Hey, if we're goin', let's go.
CHARLENE
Where's the club you were going
to open?
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CHRIS
Here comes the "showgirl with a
future" bit.
CHARLEJ
Shut up! I left for a good thing.
(beat)
Why am I even talking to you? I
can't talk to you. All you are
is a child growin' older...
CHRIS
The hell's that mean?
CHARLENE
It means we're not making forward
progress like real adults and
you won't listen.
CHRIS
I told you: me and Neil got
planned ...
CHARLENE
"Me and Neil." I'm married to
you, now. This isn't the fucking
joint.
CHRIS
Don't mouth off to me!
CHARLENE
(screams)
I want out of here!
CHRIS
(shouts)
Well there's the fucking door!
(opens it)
Only leave Dominick, the bank
book and the car keys on the
kitchen table!
CHARLENE
You can keep that other crap!
But Dominick goes with me.
Chris shoves her up against the wall.
CHRIS
(suddenly low)
I'll find ya and kill you, you
bitch, wherever you are - you
ever try to take Dominick away
from me.
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He means it. She knows it. He takes the car keys and
goes. She's frozen to the spot.
CUT TO:
EXT. CERRITO'S BUNGALOW - WIDE - NIGHT
A modest West L.A. bungalow that's been remodeled beyond
neighborhood values. A 1990 Coupe de Ville's in the drive.
Cerrito pulls his black '93 Eldorado up behind it. A
NEIGHBOR shuts off his sprinkler. Cerrito gets out and
pulls the wrapped up doll house out of the trunk.
ANITA (O.S.)
(to Michael)
Daddy, daddy!
WIDEN TO INCLUDE ANITA CERRITO (7) running up with LINDA
CERRITO (9) not far behind. She jumps into her dad's arms.
CUT TO:
INT. CERRITO HOUSE - ON CERRITO - DAY
Entering: home theater system, Hawaiian art prints in
lacquer frames.
ELAINE CERRITO - a dark, heavy-set woman who was dynamite
at 25 and still sensual at 40 - enters from kitchen and
kisses cerrito.
ELAINE
Hungry?
CERRITO
Starving.
ELAINE
(searching)
You okay?
CERRITO
(nods; gives her
envelope)
Put this away.
ANITA
(whispers)
Daddy, what's in the box?
She exits to kitchen. Cerrito sits down and pulls Anita
onto his lap.
CERRITO
What do you care?
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They start shouting: c'mon c'mon. Elaine enters with her
class of red wine.
CERRITO
(continuing)
Open it up.
They run out. He whispers to Elaine who sits on the side
of his chair and drapes an arm across his shoulder. Michael
Cerrito is a family man and the nicest guy on the block.
CUT TO:
INT. UNDERGROUND GARAGE, ENTRANCE - A RECTANGLE OF NIGHT
SKY - NIGHT
Then Neil's Town Car enters down the ramp and passes
through. It's deserted and quiet.
CUT TO:
EXT. GARAGE - ON NEIL - NIGHT
Driving away in his personal car, an Eldorado in black.
CUT TO:
EXT. SANTA MONICA 3RD STREET - ON NEIL - NIGHT
It's almost deserted. Neil enters from Arizona Avenue.
He's alone. It's windy. The collar of his gray suit is
up, the lapels are closed over his white shirt.
CUT TO:
INT. HENESSEY AND INGALLS BOOKSTORE - NEIL - NIGHT
Looks at a large book in the Engineering section. He
specifically flips back and forth between full-color plates
of electronic micrographs of different kinds of steel.
EADY (0. C.)
Help you with something?
NEIL
(looks)
No thanks.
WIDEN TO INCLUDE EADY TSE - 28, 5'8". Chinese, long black
hair to her waist. Her face is high cheek-boned and
intelligent. She wears a gray corduroy smock over a
turtleneck shirt and jeans. She speaks English in American
vernacular with only the slightest trace of an accent.
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NEIL
(continuing)
You closing in a few minutes?
Eady leans back against the book case.
EADY
Yeah.
(yawns)
Excuse me.
(beat)
You interested in metals?
NEIL
(alert)
No.
(lies)
It's the color reproduction of
these plates...
EADY
We have a first edition of
Kandinsky's Theory of Color with
hand pulled lithographic prints
bound in. Would you like see
it?
NEIL
Sure.
Crossing store.
EADY
I see you in here before.
NEIL
You're open late. Not many open
this late.
(beat)
What's your name?
Holds out hand.
EADY
Eady. Eady Tse. What's yours?
NEIL
(lies)
Bukowski. Neil Bukowski.
He holds onto her hand and stares down into her face.
They both smile. She laughs and looks away first. They
continue to a rear locked case.
CUT TO:
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INT. HANNA'S CAR TRAVELLING - HANNA - NIGHT
Floating through the green xenon nightgown, hits a stored
number in his cellular phone's memory.
CASALS (V.O.)
M. C. U.
HANNA
(cuts in)
Bobby, it's me.
CASALS (V.O.)
Boss, whoever's fencing the Bearer
Bonds is either highline or out-
of-town. Everyone's talking
about it. No one knows about
it.
(beat)
Schwartz went through the indexes
on recent surveillance tapes?
No armored cars. No witnesses
on who stole the ambulance.
HANNA
Albert Torena call me back?
CASALS (V.O.)
No.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA CONDOMINIUM - HANNA - NIGHT
Lets himself in the door. He's beat. He throws his coat
at the chair.
INT. KITCHEN - STOVE
The dried-out remains of dinner. Hanna roots around, grabs
a lamb chop, forgets the rest and goes into the living
room. INT. HANNA LIVING ROOM - JUSTINE sees Hanna, goes
back to book.
HANNA
Hi.
JUSTINE
Where have you been?
HANNA
Work. Harvey show or'd Lauren
get stood up again?
JUSTINE
He didn't even call her.
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HANNA
What an asshole. She okay?
JUSTINE
She's been in her room all day
and won't talk. So "no," she's
not okay. And neither am I.
(even tempered)
If I try to create something
like a mood between us you back
away. I made a great dinner for
us. That was four hours ago.
(beat)
At least get yourself a plate...
HANNA
There's three dead bodies in an
alley off Adams.
(beat)
I'm really sorry the lamb got
overcooked.
Justine looks at him, elegantly rises, exits into the
bedroom and closes the door.
HANNA
Looking after her is tired.
Very tired. He doesn't know why
he said what he did. He regrets
it. So he turns on his TV to
watch the news and his eyes glaze
over.
CUT TO:
INT. DINER - GRILLMAN - NIGHT
Flips eggs, bastes, and covers them. The grill is all
quilted steel and immaculate. At the other end of the
counter a waiter reads a paper.
NEIL AND EADY
on stools.
EADY
What do you do?
NEIL
(looks at her, then
away)
Swimming pools. Institutional.
Schools, State, counties. I'm
on the sales end.
(MORE)
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NEIL (CONT'D)
(to Grillman)
Let me have another coffee.
(beat)
You like selling books?
EADY
(simply)
Yeah. Especially fine art books.
I study them.
NEIL
Yeah? Like what?
A little hesitant, Eady drinks her coffee.
NEIL
(continuing)
Tell me.
EADY
There's a Skira edition of
Delacroix charcoal sketches, I
like...
NEIL
What else?
EADY
Asian art work.
CUT TO:
EXT. EADY'S HOUSE, BALCONY - NEIL + EADY - NIGHT
The house is high in the hill's over sunset. They stare
down at the City - like an ocean of small lights. From
the previous scene we HEAR:
EADY (V.O.)
The plates are mezzotints. They
evoke a feeling Japanese painters
called "sabi". They believed
there were eight scenes of
transcendental loneliness. They
painted them over and over again.
One is a flock of geese hovering
over a field. There's always
mist. It's painted just as the
leader touches down.
Pause. They drink scotch in highball glasses.
NEIL
City of lights.
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EADY
Yeah.
NEIL
I flew over the arctic once at
40,000 feet. The moonlight was
blue on all the snow. It felt
like that.
There's a long pause. Then:
EADY
Do you travel a lot?
NEIL
Yeah.
EADY
Are you lonely?
NEIL
I'm alone. Not lonely.
He pulls her closer. A pre-dawn red band cracks the
horizon.
NEIL
(continuing)
You?
EADY
I get lonely.
His hands hold her face as he looks into her eyes and she
moves to him.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BEDROOM - WHITE - NIGHT
Fills the screen as we PAN ALONG the drapery of sheets to
Neil's wide-awake eyes. Next to him Eady's asleep.
DISSOLVE TO:
SAME - HIGH ANGLE OVER NEIL ONTO EADY - LATER
Neil is dressed now. He stands at the foot of the bed
looking at Eady.
DISSOLVE TO:
NEIL'S HAND
enters with a glass of water wrapped in a paper napkin and
sets it on the bedside table.
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It's odd: a convict's meticulousness. He moves the covers
up to her chin. There is to his touch, tenderness, as if
they were longtime lovers.
We realize what we are seeing is the emotionality Neil
McCauley keeps in the closet.
DISSOLVE TO:
HIGH + WIDE
Neil is gone. He paused for that moment before he left,
as if to engrave her image in his memory.
CUT TO:
INT. ALBERT TORENA'S APARTMENT - ALBERT TORENA - DAY
Answers the door. Daylight floods in past the silhouette
of Hanna who shoves Torena in the chest, knocking him into
the apartment. Hanna, following him in...
HANNA
You were supposed to get back to
me last night. So where the
fuck were you, Albert?
ALBERT
I couldn't break free, man!
HANNA
I oughta violate your ass right
now.
ALBERT
I was all night hitting up Los
vatos like one of those flamenco
matador guys. Cuttin' in real
smooth. Generating leads and
shit. I'm a dancer, man!
ALBERT TORENA'S an anorexic Latino fence. Hanna scans the
apartment. Religious objects crowd the mantle. Fourteen
stolen tv's in packing cases in the dining room.
HANNA
You're a bust-out speed freak
jackin' metamphetamine again.
(beat)
I'm in a hurry.
ALBERT
You talk to my brother, Raoul.
He meet you tonight at...
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HANNA
No. Right now.
ALBERT
I implore him, man. But he say
"no."
(beat)
He in Phoenix. Tonight's the
best I can do for you. The Zebra
on Crenshaw. Eleven o'clock.
HANNA
You be there, too.
ALBERT
Mon, I go
HANNA
Be there!
Hanna leaves.
INT - TRAILER - CEZAR KELSO - DAY
CEZAR
I picked you out to pitch it to
first, but don't think you're
the only action in town and I'm
giving it away. 'Cause I'm not.
CUT TO:
WIDEN TO INCLUDE NEIL - who doesn't say anything. CEZAR
KELSO'S a large crippled man in a wheelchair.
NEIL
What is it?
CEZAR
A bank. On Thursdays it gets
cash deposits for distribution
to other branches. The branches
have to buttress their cash
accounts to handle Friday payroll
checks from a Toyota and Nissan
plant, a steel mill and two
refineries. One day a week,
Thursday, the main branch carries
the full whack.
NEIL
You want a $100,000 advance,
against a full 101. Why?
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CEZAR
'Cause I can get it. 'Cause
this is the best thing I seen in
three years. 'Cause a screw-up
makes 10 percent of nothin' equal
nothin'. And 'cause those are
the terms and they ain't
negotiable.
NEIL
On the prowl or strong?
CEZAR
Strong. Through the front door.
During the day.
NEIL
How many guys?
CEZAR
Four. Three plus a driver.
NEIL
That's not a $100,000 worth
anything. You're giving me an
address to what's strictly a
cowboy score: "Get the guns and
let's go!" We smash, grab and
boogie while they hit the alarm.
CEZAR
Three alarms. And that's why
the price. 'Cause you chop-in
through the roof the night before
on the prowl and bypass 'em. I
got circuit diagrams, blue prints,
the works. So yeah, they hit
the alarms, but nothing gonna
happen.
NEIL
Do I have to kill people?
CEZAR
I doubt it. Two men have the
two keys to open the box.
NEIL
Full architectural, plumbing and
electric, camera placements?
CEZAR
All of it.
NEIL
What do you estimate?
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CEZAR
Eight point, one. Eight point,
two million dollars.
That gives Neil pause. Kelso gets satisfaction from Neil's
reaction to the amount. Then:
CEZAR
(continuing)
Where's Nate?
NEIL
He hadda make a call.
(beat)
You're on.
(rising)
Here's five grand earnest money.
You get the rest after lunch.
They shake hands.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAILER COURT, PAY PHONE - NATE - DAY
NATE
Look, Van Zant. Nobody knew the
merch was yours or they would
have respected it. Be that as
it may: now you get 100% from
the insurance company and you're
even, plus you can get the bonds
back for 60 cents onna dollar.
You make an additional 40%.
Your operation doesn't skip a
beat, and everybody's making
out.
CUT TO:
INT. MALIBU SECURITIES, VAN ZANT OFFICE - VAN ZANT - DAY
On the phone to Nate. There's green forest and blue water
dioramas inset into wood-panelled walls.
VAN ZANT
(into phone)
Sure. You got a deal.
NATE (0. S.)
(phone filter)
Good. Cause there's no percentage
in everybody getting their
underwear in a twist over this.
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VAN ZANT
(into phone)
Absolutely. You have your man
call me to set the meet.
NATE (O.S.)
(phone filter)
Usually I'm the mailman.
VAN ZANT
(into phone)
I don't want to involve extra
people. What the fuck do I want
all kinds of people meeting each
other for?
NATE (O.S.)
(phone filter)
Okay.
VAN ZANT
(into phone)
Nice talking to you...
(click)
Van Zant hangs up. He's a tall
avuncular man with a flabby belly
and Arrow shirts: an accountant.
HUGH BENNY, a very large juice
collector, is in the office.
HUGH
(incredulous)
You gonna deal with these people?
VAN ZANT
So word hits the streets it's
okay to steal my stuff? I'm
gonna kill the sonsa-bitches.
CUT TO:
EXT. KELSO TRAILER COURT - NEIL - DAY
Entering from Kelso's trailer, meets Nate halfway to the
car. Walking and talking:
NEIL
I bought it.
NATE
What I tell you?
NEIL
The bonds?
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NATE
We're on. You call him
tomorrow...
(gives slip paper)
... and set a meet.
NEIL
How is he?
NATE
Very cool. He's a businessman.
They walk to their cars and leave.
CUT TO:
INT. LILLIAN'S CAR - LILLIAN AND BREEDAN - DAY
Pull into Robert's Coffee Shop in Culver City. BREEDAN at
29 he's an ex-Eight Trey Hoover Street Crip with lots of
scars who just did five years in San Quentin and is
straightening up. He's gangster clean and pressed and
it's there in his body movements and eyes.
LILLIAN
Here it is.
(kisses him)
You okay?
BREEDAN
Don 't worry, baby. Gonna do
good.
She laughs and drives away.
CUT TO:
INT. ROBERT'S COFFEE SHOP, KITCHEN - BREEDAN - DAY
Enters the kitchen. The manager is SOLENKO - large with
gray features, smallpox scars and thinning hair. He's
forty-five. NOISE OF DISHWASHER, P.A., POTS CLATTERING.
Solenko throws orders together and plates onto the metal
counter for waitress to pick up. They shout over the
RACKET.
BREEDAN
(has to shout)
I'm Breedan. You Solenko?
SOLENKO
(shouts)
Yeah. Fucking hillbilly grill
ran didn't show. Been here since
4:30. You know this kinda
operation?
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BREEDAN
(shouts)
The grill. Yeah.
SOLENKO
(shouts)
Grill? Empty the garbage, mopout
the toilets. You gimme a hard
time, I'll find something to
violate you back and blow your
parole.
(beat)
You kick back 25% of your salary
to me under the table. Grierson
your parole officer? Right?
BREEDAN
(shouts OVER NOISE)
Yeah.
SOLENKO
(shouts back)
Check it out. Change in the
back. Hurry up.
At this point we don't know what David Breedan's doing in
this picture.
CUT TO:
INT. XYZ DISCOUNT APPLIANCES BACK OFFICE - JOE CUZOMANO -
DAY
Hears a buzzer and looks up. His eyes go to a video
monitor.
VIDEO MONITOR: HANNA
among the racks and tv sets playing the sane soap.
HANNA (0 .S.)
(filtered)
Cuzomano. Open up.
Joe pushes a button. The electric lock is released.
CUZOMANO is a 300-pound fat man.
HANNA
Whaddaya hear, whaddaya say?.
CUZOMANO
Hiya, Vincent. About what?
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HANNA
About this crew that knocked
down three guards yesterday and
took a Gates Armored truck.
Bearer Bonds. Start making calls.
Cuzomano starts punching numbers into his phone.
CUZOMANO
(into phone)
It's Cuzomano. Get me Francis.
(while we're waiting)
How'd I hear about this?
HANNA
Ridin' the airwaves. On every
news channel. Turn on a fucking
radio!
(pause)
Try to broker the Bonds. Make
some money. Then you'll shift
into Flip-o-matic and tell me
who they are. And what they are
doing next.
CUZOMANO
(Francis is on the
line)
Hey, Francis!
(Francis answers)
That score went down yesterday?
(beat)
Yeah, I'm lookin' to handle all
or a piece of the merch. All I
got are yo-yo's. One brings me
a container of Armani suits? He
didn't know they were knockoffs.
Schmuck stole knockoffs. They
should make stupidity a felony.
(beat)
You hear who they been downed
to?
Cuzomano gets an answer. He shakes his head "no" to Hanna.
Hanna's out the door. Cuzomano breathes easier.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEIL'S APARTMENT BUILDING - WIDE - DAY
The Camaro slides soundlessly down Wilshire and into the
underground garage of a high-rise, green glass steel.
CUT TO:
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INT. NEIL'S - APARTMENT - NEIL - DAY
Enters. It's white and barren. A TV SET in one corner on
the floor PLAYS a MUTE GAME SHOW. Chris is rolled up in a
blanket in front of it. The apartment is lived in by one
man. It tells us Neil's personal life is a blank.
NEIL
comes out of the bedroom with a pillow. He yanks Christ
shoes off. Neil punches a number. RINGING. Then:
CHARLENE (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Hello?
NEIL
(into phone)
Chris is here. I called so you
shouldn't worry. What's wrong?
CUT TO:
INT. SHIHERLIS BEDROOM - CLOSE ON CHARLENE IN BED - DAY
Charlene rubs sleep from her eyes. Switches hands on the
phone.
CHARLENE
(into phone; wary)
Husband and wife stuff. That's
all.
NEIL (V.O.)
(phone filter)
He can sleep it off here.
CHARLENE
(into phone)
Thanks, Neil.
She hangs up and closes her eyes. She hates his guts.
CUT TO:
INT. NEIL'S APARTMENT, KITCHEN - CHRIS - DAY
Is hung over. Neil brings coffee to a Formica table.
Chris's shirt from last night is ripped and his lip's cut.
He looks like hell. Neil puts his Browning on the table.
NEIL
What happened to you?
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CHRIS
When you going to get some
furniture?
NEIL
When I get around to it.
CHRIS
My mouth tastes like a sewer.
Chris crosses to the sink and turns the dish sprayer onto
his face and the back of his neck.
CHRIS
(continuing; comes
down)
Charlene's going to leave me.
Big pause.
NEIL
(quietly)
Why?
CHRIS
There ain't no steaks in the
freezer.
NEIL
With everything we been taking?
CHRIS
Last trip to Vegas and the
Superbowl took care of that.
When you gonna get an old lady?
NEIL
When I get around to it. You
got something else on the side?
CHRIS
Nothing regular.
NEIL
(quiet)
She got another man?
CHRIS
No.
NEIL
(quietly)
You sure?
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CHRIS
(rising)
Yeah, I'm sure.
NEIL
Jimmy - whatsisname - Bohunk, in
the joint used to say: "On the
street you wanna be makin' roves,
you don't put anything in your
life you can't walk out on in 30
seconds flat if you spot heat
around the corner."
CHRIS
Jimmy Banghart. And to hell
with Jimmy Banghart.
(beat)
I'd rather go ten rounds with
Jesus Christ than fuck with her.
But she and Dominick save my
life, man; everyday. Everyday...
NEIL
So?
CHRIS
So.
Their feelings and understanding run deep. Chris is
committed to making it work.
NEIL
Taking delivery from Van Zant on
the rest of the armored car cash.
I gotta drop a deposit on Kelso.
He's got a bank score.
CHRIS
What about the platinum? It's
ready to fall ...
NEIL
That goes, too. Meet me at the
coffee shop at noon. I got stuff
to do...
Neil slips his Browning back into his waistband.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - MARCIANO - DAY
MARCIANO is Las Vegas sharp at 48: a tall, tanned,
ponytailed, middle-aged hustler and sucker for a young
chick. His phone is ringing. He answers it.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 43.
MARCIANO
(into phone)
Hello?
INT. SHIHERLIS BEDROOM - CHARLENE - DAY
Drinking coffee, speeding.
CHARLENE
(into phone)
Alan.
MARCIANO (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Hey!
CHARLENE
(into phone)
I've had it with him. I've had
it. Can you get us out of here?
MARCIANO
(into phone)
Absolutely. I got a coupla orders
to write. Meet you at 12.
EXT. HAMBURGER STAND - CLOSE NEIL - DAY
On phone.
EADY (V. 0.)
(after a pause;
phone filter)
Hello?
NEIL
How you doing?
CUT TO:
INT. EADY'S HOUSE - EADY - DAY
In an ink-stained smock.
EADY
(into phone)
Neil. I wondered when you'd
call.
NEIL (V.O.)
(phone filter)
I been real busy.
EADY
(into phone)
Good.
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NEIL (V..O.)
(phone filter)
Can I see you?
EADY
(into phone)
I was worried... was just...
(uncomfortable)
...the one night. You know?
NEIL (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Not for me it wasn't.
EADY
(into phone)
Me either.
NEIL (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Tonight. I'll pick you up at
work.
She hangs up. He wonders about doing this, puts it aside.
CUT TO:
EXT. HAMBURGER STAND, PHONE BOOTH - NEIL
Takes a deep breath. Maybe he's not sure of what he's
into. It passes. He crosses the counter.
Across the street is the Hiawatha Motel in 40's stucco and
desert pastels and Charlene's yellow El Dorado parked next
to a Lexus in front of Room 18.
NEIL
(to Cook)
Change for a dollar?
COOK
There you go, honey.
NEIL DIALS
TELEPHONIST (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Malibu Securities.
NEIL
(into phone)
Yeah. Van Zant.
Suddenly Neil turns because he sees.
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NEIL'S POV: ALAN MARCIANO
leaves Room 18, waves goodbye to Charlene and crosses to
Lexus.
VAN ZAPT (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Yes?
NEIL
(into phone)
About the merchandise. What's
the story?
In the b.g. Marciano pulls away.
VAN ZANT (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Give me your number and somebody
will call you right back from a
different line to set the meet.
NEIL
(into phone)
333-6089.
He hangs up. He waits. The PHONE RINGS. He answers. He
says nothing. He nods. He hangs up. He crosses the street
lot to the Motel.
EXT. ROOM 18 - WIDE
Neil knocks.
CHARLENE (O.S.)
Yes?
NEIL
Open up.
She does. She closes her eyes, resigned to doom. He walks
past her into the room.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM 18 - WIDE - DAY
One unmade bed. Neil looks.At the tacky interior. He
crosses to the bathroom and turns on the water. He advances
on Charlene who's backing up.- She falls over a waste can.
NEIL
Who was that guy?
CHARLENE
I won't tell you.
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NEIL
Listen...
Neil kicks the waste can out of the way. It clatters across
the room.
NEIL
(continuing)
We got to know who he is!
CHARLENE
Nobody, Neil! A liquor wholesaler
from Las Vegas. Alan Marciano.
NEIL
What he tell you? How connected
he is? Get you a spot in a show?
CHARLENE
I figured it out for myself!
Neil closes in.
NEIL
Chris is gonna straighten it up
with you. And you ...
CHARLENE
It's too late! I'm sick of it!
I'm sick of you.
NEIL
I'm not part of your situation!
Charlene gets attentive. She's backed into the corner and
can't get any smaller.
NEIL
(continuing)
Not anymore. And Chris has got
two big jobs back-to-bick. You
will give Chris this shot.
(beat)
After that, he fucks up, then
okay.
(beat)
I will finance setting you up,
separate, myself. Dominick will
go with you. And my word counts.
But right now he is puttin' it
all on the line. So for the
three of you, you are goin', to
give Chris one more shot.
Neil grabs the whole lower part of her face in one hand.
His face is inches from hers.
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NEIL
(continuing; quietly)
Now that is what it is gonna be
.
Charlene hesitates; then acquiesces.
CHARLENE
(quietly)
All right.
Neil leaves.
EXT. CRENSHAW BLVD. - HANNA'S CAR - NIGHT,
Weaves through traffic. Horns BLARE.
CUT TO:
EXT. ZEBRA CLUB - DOORMAN - NIGHT
A muscular black man named ALPHONSE has his back to us at
the rear delivery entrance to a mall awash with Korean
neon.
HANNA (O.S.)
Gimme all your money!
Hanna's jammed two fingers in his back. Alphonse spins;
sees it's Hanna.
ALPHONSE
Cuz, one day you get coldblasted
with that shit.
HANNA
Ain't gonna be you, mo-fo.
ALPHONSE
(low)
Homeboys talkin' about it.
Nothin' solid. Just B-boy jive
'bout outta-towners. Crew's
from outta town. I hear
something; I drop a dime.
HANNA
You holdin'?
Alphonse flips Hanna a small vial of coke.
ALPHONSE
Onna house.
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Filtering up from downstairs comes 80dB of Jane's
Addiction's cover of "Sympathy for the Devil".
CUT TO:
INT. FREIGHT ELEVATOR - HANNA - NIGHT
Descending alone uses a small, black, carbon steel sheath
knife to take two hits from the vial. He shakes off the
initial blast, pockets the vial, the doors open, Jane's
Addiction's LOUDER. We're ...
INT. ZEBRA - HANNA
Crosses through the mostly black, affluent crowd of players,
gangsters, dopesters, models and security in business suits
openly carrying and wearing headset radios. Hanna crosses
through like he owns the place, gestures to the bartender
and slides into...
INT. BOOTH - RAOUL TORENA
HANNA
What do you got?
RAOUL
(conspiratorial)
This crew's ripping Porsches out
of Orange County. Horrell, Piper
and Voight. They're working in
the back of a trim shop on Irvine.
Somebody was to pay him a visit
this weekend, they'd find a
metallic blue Turbo...
RAOUL TORENA, Albert's brother, is a thirty-five-year-old
with crew-cut black hair and a Varri Uomo sport jacket.
WIDEN To INCLUDE Hanna.
HANNA
...lookin' for me to rid you of
your competition?
RAOUL
I'm a good citizen.
HANNA
You got something to say, or
what?
RAOUL
Mi carnal: if I tell you what I
got to tell you, how do I know
you gonna do what the fuck I
just told you I need to get done?
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Hanna's gaze drifts up into Raoul's eyes: it's deadly.
ALBERT
(alarmed)
Raoul, Hanna do what he say!
That's why I reached for you..
Hanna jerks Raoul by the front of his Verri Uomo which is
being destroyed in Hanna's fists.
HANNA
I'm not your 'carnal, you little
motherfucker.
(beat)
And you 'know' 'cause I say so...
after I hear what you got to
tell me!
RAOUL
Okay! Okay...
Hanna throws him back against the bench.
RAOUL
(continuing)
This is valuable shit! I could
get killed telling you this shit!
Low, flat and deadly:
HANNA
You can get killed ... walking
down the street...
RAOUL
(whisper)
A dude I knew in McNeil's been
out a couple, three years.
HANNA
Yeah?
RAOUL
He's an action junkie. If he'd
said nothin', I'd a thought
nothin'. But he goes on and on
into extra overtime on how he
ain't been do-in' nothin' and
then I know this cat's got
something goin' down...
Raoul leans back in the booth, nods his head, proud of
this pearl of information. Hanna looks at Albert like
he's crazy.
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HANNA
(to Albert)
What's wrong with you? You drag
me here to waste my time like
this?
(to Raoul)
You saw a guy on the street...
who's an ex-con?
RAOUL
Yeah.
HANNA
...what do you expect for that?
A Junior G-Man badge?
RAOUL
You gonna make the call on the
Porsches?
HANNA
Are you kidding?
Hanna gets up to leave.
RAOUL
I'm telling you this slick is
double-duty! A real doubleblank
mo-fo.
HANNA
What?
RAOUL
Huh ... ?
HANNA
You said "slick."
RAOUL
Yeah, that's what he calls people.
"Slick."
Hanna plays it low key. Hanna sits back down.
HANNA
Tell me about him...
RAOUL
(thinks)
Six feet, built. Lotta jailhouse
tattoos. Peacock right here.
Probably was a shooter once Heavy
time: Attica, Marion, could do a
nickel or dine standing on his
(MORE)
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RAOUL (CONT'D)
ear. He's in C-block two days,
and in the shower some Muslim
comes up into his face and he
cuts the guy a new opening for a
colostomy bag and goes back to
shampooing his hair...
(laughs)
HANNA
(leans in)
What's his ... name..
RAOUL
(easy)
Cerrito. Michael Cerrito.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR - HANNA - NIGHT
On the phone. The back side of downtown is a wall of light
moving past as ...
BOSKO (V.O.)
(filter)
Jacket's two inches thick. 38
busts since 1976.
INT. LAPD, MCU OFFICE - BOSKO - NIGHT
Hanna's on the speaker phone. Casals enters.
BOSKO
(into phone;
continuing)
Two for murder one. Eleven for
armed robbery. Three convictions.
Two out of a three year beef in
Attica. Three years in
Statesville. Five years in
Riker's Island off a knock-back
to involuntary manslaughter
Narcotics record. Methadone
treatment. Two kids. Wife's
named Elaine. Strictly a cowboy.
HANNA (V.O.)
Who else have I got?
SCHWARTZ
Drucker, Casals and me, boss
HANNA (V.O.)
Bob, get on the house.
(MORE)
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HANNA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
24 hour surveillance, title
search, the works. Drucker and
Casals bug the car and whatever
else we need, remembering it
won't be evidentiary.
(beat)
When he moves or sits - like in
a restaurant.
INTERCUT WITH:
Bosko answers another phone, puts that line on "hold" as...
HANNA (V.O.)
(continuing)
I want pictures of who he moves
and sits with. Then run makes
on them and their cars. They
got jackets? I want to see who
they move and they sit with and
give them the same treatment.
(beat)
Bosko. Work the neighborhood.
Tail the wife. Look for a drop
that could garage a work car and
tools. That's it.
BOSKO
(re: phone)
Richie the Medical Examiner's
holding.
HANNA
(into phone)
Conference him in.
(clicks)
Yeah? Richie?
RICHIE (V.O.)
Vincent, can you fall by a crime
scene on the strip? I think I
got another one.
"Sympathy for the Devil" gets LOUDER and washes across
onto...
CUT TO:
EXT. SUNSET. BOULEVARD MOTEL AND ALLEY - NIGHT
Neon under the vapor lamps. O.S. the cacophony of horns
and sirens. Pimps and hookers crowd the background. A
crime scene area near the garbage cans is roped off. An
ambulance, black-and-whites, a Medical Examiner's van clog
the alley.
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CRANE DOWN as Hanna's car pulls in and he approaches the
Medical Examiner, RICHIE, 25-35, black, diamond earring,
gray lab coat.
RICHIE
(to Hanna)
Here's how we found her.
POLAROID - BLACK PROSTITUTE
in a nightgown, folded over the lip of a garbage can at
the waist. She's a pitiful rag doll. Someone killed her
and then threw her away.
HANNA
is too controlled. Anger's underneath.
HANNA
How old?
RICHIE
Sixteen, seventeen.
HANNA
How'd she die, Richie?
RICHIE
Blunt instrument. Cerebral
hematoma.
HANNA
Who are they?
THEIR POV: HEAVYSET BLACK WOMAN
and two stunned young boys. She's crying and arguing with
two uniformed LAPD trying to hold her back. One LAPD is a
black woman. The heavyset woman doesn't really know what
happened yet except it's bad.
RICHIE (O.S.)
(low)
The family.
HANNA (O.S.)
What the hell are they doin'
here?
RICHIE + HANNA
RICHIE
(low; shrugs)
It's fucked up. Somebody inside
knew the girl and called the
family.
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Now Richie bends over the body bag on the ground and unzips
it. We don't see the dead girl. We only see Hanna. A
third uniformed officer in the background spins away.
HANNA
Oh, this is nice.
RICHIE
I wanted you to see this 'cause
I got a feeling it's serial and
gonna end up in your court.
HANNA
Homicide getting anywhere?
RICHIE
Nowhere.
Hanna rises. The mother's arguing with the man cop because
she wants to see. Horror and hysteria blossoming through
shock. She pushes the uniformed cop of the way. Hanna
goes to try to help. They grapple.
MOTHER
(reaches out)
Baby! Where's my baby.!
Anguish. It's a mess. The woman collapsing into Hanna's
arms. For one moment Hanna's eyes lock onto hers. He
freezes. One doesn't forget the look he sees in her eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT. DRIVE-IN THEATER - CAPRICE WORK CAR - DAY
driven by Neil to camera appears and disappears up and
down the earthwork ramps. We don't know what he's doing
in one the last drive-in theaters in California at high
noon.
WIDE FROM THE REAR
The white screen reveals its cracks and patches.
CLOSE ON ENTRANCE
A yellow full size Dodge pickup with darkened windows
enters. It hesitates and then slowly drives toward Neil -
up and the ramps between the speaker poles.
ON DODGE PICK UP
circling wide and coming up almost parallel to the Caprice.
As the driver pulls to a stop we see an envelope on the
da...
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NEIL
You keep your hands in sight! I
tell you what to do, how to do
it.
DRIVER
Yessir. I'm just the delivery
boy.
REAR SHOTS
Of the two vehicles. Out of the
covered bed of the pick-up a
small man slowly slips out.
MAN
crawls under the pick-up and Neil's car and emerges on the
passenger side behind Neil's rear wheel in Neil's blind
spot. He inches towards the window. He carries a 15-shot
Colt .22 Woodsman with a huge silencer. He is totally
relaxed and professional.
NEIL
concentrates on the driver, who's calm.
NEIL
Now, with your right hand only:
throw the envelope in my back
seat.
DRIVER
Starts to reach for the envelope and tosses it into Neil's
car.
NEIL
sees his eyes dart. Neil glances at his right rear view
mirror.
NEIL'S POV: MAN
with the silenced .22.
WIDE FROM THE FRONT
Neil floors the Caprice and it catapults and bucks over
rows of ramps.
REAR SHOT - MAN
pumps SHOTS into the rear of the Caprice.
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INT. CAPRICE - NEIL
Jerks out his 9mm Browning as .22 SLUGS DRILL precise HOLES
THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD.
EXT. DRIVE-IN - VERY WIDE
Neil throws the Caprice through a skidding 180 degree turn
and accelerates toward the man who moves back towards the
Dodge pickup for cover.
INT. PICKUP - DRIVER
Panics now. The Dodge takes off, abandoning the man with
the .22.
INT. CAPRICE - NEIL'S POV: SKY-GROUND
PITCH BACK AND FORTH, UP AND DOWN. The Man runs, turns,
stands, and FIRES.
EXT. DRIVE-IN - PROFILE: CAPRICE AND ABANDONED GUNMAN
Who FIRES until the Caprice smashes into him.
INT. CAPRICE - NEIL
Skids around to a stop and bails out.
EXT. DRIVE-IN - DODGE PICKUP
Accelerating to the exit lane, kicking up billows of dust.
INT. PICK-UP - DRIVER'S POV - CLEAR EXIT
Until Cerrito and Chris fold out from either side of the
exit gate with shotguns. They FIRE:
CUT TO:
EXT. DRIVE-IN - WIDE
The windshield is blown out and the Driver's half into the
back seat. The car rolls over onto its side. Cerrito
FIRES into the exposed gas tank. It BLOWS UP.
NEIL
approaches the fallen Gunman and with the 9mm. Browning
at his temple, kicks away the .22.
GUNMAN
(coughs blood)
Can I Make it?
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Neil looks at his smashed, twisted body and bleeding mouth
He's choking to death. Neil shakes his head "no."
NEIL
You're all done, pal.
GUNMAN
Do it.
He closes his eyes.
NEIL
aims. FIRES ONCE.
VERY WIDE FROM THE TOP OF THE DRIVE-IN SCREEN - SUNSET
The whole landscape. Neil with the gun heavy at the end
of his arm walks from the Gunman to the Caprice. Chris
and Cerrito - like duck hunters - cradle their shotguns
and cross to a Lincoln away from the burning pickup.
CUT TO:
INT. MALIBU SECURITIES, VAN ZANT OFFICE - VAN ZANT - NIGHT
Phone rings. Occupied, he casually answers.
NEIL (O.S.)
John Van Zant?
VAN ZANT
Yeah. Who's this?
NEIL (O.S.)
Neil McCauley.
Van Zant reacts, racing, trying to cover.
VAN ZANT
This kid I sent to straighten
you up on the money... didn't
call. Is ... uh... everything
alright?
NEIL
(laid back)
Tell you what: keep the money.
VAN ZANT
What?
NEIL
(slow)
"... keep ... the ... money."
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VAN ZANT
(fast)
It's a lot of money! What are
you doing?
NEIL
(slow)
What am I doin' I'm talking into
an empty telephone.
VAN ZANT
I don't understand.
NEIL
(matter of fact)
'Cause there is a dead man on
the other end of this line...
Neil hangs up. Hugh Benny has entered. Van Zant looks at
the phone, then Hugh:
VAN ZANT
(shouts)
Who are these people? Huh?!
CUT TO:
INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT, PHONE BOOTH - NEIL - NIGHT
Is re-dialing.
KELSO (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Yeah?
NEIL
(into phone)
You got a clean line?
CUT TO:
INT. KELSO TRAILER - CEZAR KELSO - NIGHT
In his wheelchair. He checks a meter attached to his
telephone wire.
KELSO
(into phone)
Yeah.
NEIL (V.O.)
(Phone filter) I got a delay
dropping the $50,000.
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KELSO
(into phone)
You don't have a delay. What
you don't have is a deal.
(beat)
Swing by and collect your envelope
sometime. Goodbye.
Starts to hang up.
NEIL (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Wait a minute, pal-o!!
Kelso does.
INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NEIL
NEIL
(into phone)
You're going to wait for me for
a week. I'll buy a week with
the five. It's above and beyond
the fifty and if I wash, you
keep it.
(beat)
You're going to wait for me 'cause
you want me to take it down.
You know it's got better odds
with me in.
(pause)
Now do we have an understanding?
KELSO (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Seven days.
CLICK.
WIDE ON ROUND TABLE
Michael and Elaine Cerrito, Chris and Charlene, Towner and
his wife ANNA - a striking black woman we'll see later -
sit around the table and sing "Happy Anniversary" to the
tune of "Happy Birthday" as a Chinese waiter brings Elaine
and Michael Cerrito a cake; Neil returns.
VOICES
...Happy anniversary to you.
Happy anniversary dear Michael
and Elaine. Happy anniversary
to you.
Everyone applauds and laughs and raises glasses of plum
wine except Cerrito who drinks club soda. Elaine and
Michael blow out the candles.
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The skeleton of a steamed sea bass is in the center of the
table.
CUT TO:
INT. MEN'S ROOM OF CHINESE RESTAURANT - CLOSE ON FAUCET -
NIGHT
It's a LOUD TORRENT - TILT UP TO THREE SHOT: Neil, Cerrito
and Chris are clustered around the sink. The water runs
seemingly aimlessly. It also would drown out a bug.
NEIL
(loud over water)
We'll down platinum through Nate.
The deal is 72% of today's quote
on the Bourse in the New York
Times.
CERRITO
(loud over water)
You got the black boxes for the
alarms?
CHRIS
(loud over water)
Yeah. Towner delivered. They're
in the drop.
NEIL
(loud over water)
We pass by couple times tomorrow
afternoon. Check nothing strange
in the neighborhood. Tomorrow
night: we take it down. You set
on the rear door.
CHRIS
(loud over water)
I'm going to punch it...
(beat)
What do we do about Van Zant?
NEIL
(loud over water)
Kill him...after the score.
CHRIS
(loud)
Kelso?
NEIL
(loud)
We'll use Nate's advance off the
platinum when I down the merch
to pay Kelso for the bank package.
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Neil turns off the water and they leave.
CUT TO:
INT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - PLUM WINE AT TABLE - LATER
Elaine drinks. WIDEN. Michael whispers in her ear. She
smiles. Then she laughs and drapes an arm around his neck
and plants a kiss that almost knocks him over. The party,
winding down. Everyone luxuriates in the afterglow.
CHARLENE AND CHRIS
sedate, comfortable, each in separate thoughts.
CHRIS
(quietly)
You okay?
CHARLENE
I'm fine.
CHRIS
(arm around her)
Makin' it happen this time...
CHARLENE
I hope so. I really hope so.
They're close for this moment: the afterglow of the dinner.
NEIL
looks at Charlene.
CHARLENE
sees and holds his look and then her attention shifts to
Elaine.
NEIL
checks his watch. Waiter approaches Neil with the bill.
MICHAEL
(to Neil)
Hey!
CHRIS
Let me have it!
NEIL
(smiles)
I got it.
CUT TO:
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EXT. CHINESE RESTAURANT - NEIL - NIGHT
And everyone else exits from the restaurant, say their
goodbyes and go to their cars: Neil's Lincoln, Chris's
Seville, Cerrito's Sedan de Ville, Towner to a restored El
Camino. WE HEAR: BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.
HANNA (O.S.)
A goddamn convention.
We HEAR a soft FILM ADVANCE and SHUTTER.
CASALS (O.S.)
Who's "slick?"
PULL BACK TO REVEAL REAR SHOTS of Hanna, Drucker, Casals
and a surveillance team on the roof across the street behind
some neon.
DRUCKER
Cerrito, the wide one. He's
hugged twice. One if he finds
it behind the wheel wall. The
back-up's in the firewall. We
got their plates.
CASALS
Yeah.
DRUCKER
One with the hair is Shiherlis.
Got a revolving tail and a tap
on the house phone.
HANNA
(re Neil)
Who's the big guy?
DRUCKER
First time we're seeing him.
Hanna rolls away from his line of sight and says to his
men:
HANNA
Next time this crew scores?
When they walk in that door?
They will get the surprise of a
lifetime.
CUT TO:
EXT. EADY'S HOUSE, DECK - TWO SHOT - NIGHT
Neil's shirt's open. Eady's in a terry robe. They've
made love. It's late. They're awake. After a moment:
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NEIL
(holds her close:
looks at her face)
Come away with me.
EADY
What?
(surprised)
Where?
NEIL
New Zealand.
EADY
When?
NEIL
Soon.
EADY
You're kidding.
NEIL
What's stopping you? What's
here?
EADY
(laughs)
I don't know you.
NEIL
What's to know?
EADY
Are you married?
NEIL
(laughs)
Why?
EADY
Way you come and go.
NEIL
I deal with state officials.
County. Weird hours. A lot of
traveling, entertaining.
(beat)
The last thing I am is married.
There's a pause, then:
EADY
You don't know me at all, Neil...
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NEIL
I know enough.
EADY
My father wanted me to marry
someone in Taipei. It was like
I was a piece of furniture: "Go
be his wife." After I left he
won't talk to me. Because I
went on my own. I can't let
people tell roe what to do again.
And that trust comes from knowing
someone over time.
(avoids Neil)
This is hard between us for me.
Because I like you very much.
Neil looks right into Eady's face.
NEIL
I have to leave. Come away with
me.
(beat)
No one will ever tell you what
to do... You'll never lose
yourself with me.
She believes him. So do we.
CUT TO:
INT. SOUTH LA BREA MOTEL - CLOSE ON HOOKER - NIGHT
She's a BLACK PROSTITUTE - all of 18. She looks bored and
chews gum as she puts on a rayon Japanese Kimono and exits.
ANGLE ON BED - WAINGRO
sits on the edge of the rumpled bed in his Jeans. He wears
a neck brace. His face is still swollen and bruised from
Neil's beating. His belt isn't buckled. He's in a daze.
O.S. we HEAR a TOILET FLUSH. Prostitute returns. Waingro
looks over at her:
PROSTITUTE
(tired)
Hey, baby.
WAINGRO
Showed you a good time? Huh?
PROSTITUTE
Oh, yeah. You fly. You cool.
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WAINGRO
Don't lie to me. I can always
tell when people lie to me.
PROSTITUTE
I ain't lyin'! You a hot dog.
You a cowboy. You hung like a
horse and this was the monster
fuck of my young life.
(pause)
Now I gotta get my ass streetside.
WAINGRO
You don't have a truth-telling
style.
PROSTITUTE
The fuck's wrong with you?
Waingro winds up and cracks the girl. She knocks over a
cheap lamp and bounces off a wall.
PROSTITUTE
on her stomach on the floor, dazed. Waingro kicks her and
throws a small table at her. It smashes apart.
WAINGRO
(shouts)
You think I'm some john? I'm a
stone killer! I'm a sky-blue
bad ass, bitch!
CUT TO:
INT. MIRACLE MILE BAR - ON WAINGRO - NIGHT
At the bar drinking alone. The logs of an Asian girl dance
Most patrons are Korean. BARTENDER approaches.
BARTENDER
(tired smile)
Once again?
WAINGRO
(feeling good now)
Sure, good buddy. Set it up.
BARTENDER
pours and Waingro knocks it back, watches the Asian dancer
and pops a five and a ten to him across the bar.
WAINGRO
I'm looking to get into something.
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BARTENDER
(smiles)
Yeah? Where you been?
WAINGRO
Chino, Tracy. I'm a cowboy,
heavy-hitter. Billy Ricketts
said to come see you.
Bartender writes on a cocktail napkin.
BARTENDER
Go see this guy. This guy always
putting guys on.
Waingro flips the Bartender a $20.
WAINGRO
Thanks.
Another woman takes Waingro's eyes. He spins around on
his bar stool and grabs her arm as she passes. Big smile.
Its...
LILLIAN
Breedan's woman. She, too, is a dancer and her shift's
over. She's wearing a raincoat over tights and a sweatshirt
She jerks her arm away.
LILLIAN
(heavy)
Get your fucking hand off my
arm!
Waingro backs way off and shrugs. Lillian leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. LILLIAN'S CAR - LILLIAN - NIGHT
Down the Strip. The RADIO is on.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Hey, hey!
(beat)
...there, old aware ones, and
you, too, my fair ones. When
tears are falling like rain the
groove is strictly Col-trane...
Lillian turns right up into the driveway and pulls into
Robert's Coffee Shop.
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She asks Solenko who's behind the cash register something,
then leaves, heading across the street to...
CUT TO:
INT. NARROW POLYNESIAN BAR - BREEDAN - NIGHT
A back corner, loaded, looks up.
BREEDAN
Hey!
LILLIAN (O.S.)
Let's go, baby.
Big drunk smile. She helps him up and supports his weight.
CUT TO:
EXT. POLYNESIAN BAR, TWO SHOT - NIGHT
It's later. Breedan's been sick. Now he's sober. They
sit near trash barrels under a huge plaster half shell,
fishing nets and blue lights.
BREEDAN
I got any left?
LILLIAN
There's other paychecks. You
blow it off. It's worth it,
baby, cause you mess with that
man and you be violated right
back to San Quentin. So you got
to handle it 'til we get you a
different job.
BREEDAN
(energy)
Yeah. That motherfucker ain't
invented the hard time this
gangster can't handle!.
(crashes)
Why you stickin' with me, Lillian?
Why?
Lillian stares right at him.
LILLIAN
'Cause I'm proud of you. Proud
you my man.
BREEDAN
(cracks up)
Proud of me?
(MORE)
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BREEDAN (CONT'D)
(beat)
What you proud of me for?
LILLIAN
(beat)
Come on home.
Breedan puts one arm around her waist and they strenuously
rise.
CUT TO:
EXT. EMA PRECIOUS METALS, REAR - WIDE ON ALLEY - NIGHT
Nothing. Hold. Then the Pontiac work car cruises the
alley. It's dark, but we recognize Cerrito driving with
Neil in the passenger seat. Pontiac does not slow down at
ERA, keeps going to the end of the block and turns left.
CUT TO:
INT. EMA PRECIOUS METALS, INC. - HANNA - NIGHT
Staked out inside. With him are Schwartz, Casals, Bosko
and two uniformed policemen: BRUCE and BERRYMAN.
Bruce rearranges himself. Hanna shoots him a lock. He
stops fidgeting. Hanna looks at wall clock: 10:30p.M.
EXT. EMA PRECIOUS METALS, REAR ALLEY - PONTIAC
Cruises the alley a second time. Again, it doesn't stop.
CUT TO:
EXT. ADJACENT ROOFTOP - CAPT. JACKSON - NIGHT
And a ten man SWAT Team are spread out across roofs. The
men wear flack vests and carry an array of shotguns and
assault rifles and shotguns. Everybody Is still. CAPT.
JACKSON uses a periscope to see over the edge:
JACKSON'S POV: ALLEY
Abandoned.
INT. EMA - HANNA'S STAKE-OUT
BRUCE
(into radio)
Okay.
(to Hanna)
Captain Jackson wants to know
what's goin' on.
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HANNA
(into his radio)
Nothing. Clear the air.
He clicks off makes a drinking motion to...
HANNA
...who shakes his head "no." He puts a finger over his
lips meaning silence. Hanna looks at the clock. It's
12:03 a.m. Hanna takes a deep breath. He closes and opens
his eyes. They wait.
EXT. ALLEY - WIDE ON ALLEY - LATER
Nothing. Then the Pontiac with its lights off rolls
forward. Chris gets out with a salesman's sample case and
pads down the five steps to the rear entry of the jewelry
store. Chris is in a black suit and sneakers. There are
surgical gloves on his hands. The others stay in the car.
TIGHTER: CHRIS
assembles a heavy lock punch from the black case. It's
formidable. He nods.
CERRITO
in lineman's gear is out of the car and he quickly climbs
the telephone pole like an experienced lineman. The
telephone pole is next to the roof upon which Jackson and
the SWAT Team are staked-out.
TOP OF POLE - CERRITO
arrives. He's 18 inches away from 11 cops. Team nor
Cerrito are aware of each other.
INT. EMA, INC. - HANNA
Neither the SWAT moves his head to ease the strain: A
hearing aid receiver's in hit ear. He looks at his men.
The clock says 1:10 a.m.
Casals, leg convulses. Bruce is the worst. He writhes
with cramped muscles. Bosko's bulk doesn't move.
HANNA
gestures for Bruce to quiet down.
EXT. ALLEY - CERRITO
Maneuvers past P.G.E. gear and opens the GTE junction box.
He hangs a small suitcase over the door with three black
boxes and six alligator clips and starts searching for
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pairs of colored wires and bridging the jewelry store's
alarm circuits.
EXT. ROOF - JACKSON
Doesn't know Cerrito is there. He hears BREATHING. He's
curious. He raises his head over the edge and his eyes go
wide. WIDEN. He's inches from the back of Cerrito's head.
Cerrito twists and turns and jerks back in effort - almost
touching Jackson. Cerrito's too absorbed to sense Jackson's
presence. Jackson carefully closes his eyes and sinks
down.
EXT. EMA, INC., REAR ENTRANCE - CHRIS
He gets a nod from Cerrito. He slams the lock punch with
a cut down sledge hammer.
ECU: DOOR
A I" circle is punched into the steel lock mechanism next
to the cylinder, exposing electrical wiring and magnetic
tumblers and "gates."
ECU: CHRIS' FINGERS
like a cardiac surgeon's, have a balletic grace as they
manipulate the tumblers so the groove cut in each one lines
up. As they do, a bar of metal called the "fence" falls
into the channel created by the lined-up gates, unlocking
the mechanism.
WIDE: CHRIS
touches the door. It swings - soundlessly - open on its
hinges. Surprisingly, they now pack up. Neil, Chris and
Cerrito climb into the Pontiac and drive away. The door
was left wide open.
EXT. ROOF - JACKSON
JACKSON
(into walkie-talkie)
Where'd...they...go?
INT. EMA, INC. - ON HANNA
HANNA
(pissed; into mike)
Fell back to see if the alarm
bypasses held. If they did,
they'll be back. Stay the fuck
off the radio!
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INT. EMA, BASEMENT - WIDE ON VAULT DOOR
Nothing. It's black. Then there's light. Neil's entered.
He illuminates the vault with his penlight.
CHRIS
sets up a heavy drill and tapes a template with drill points
marked to the door.
INT. EMA, INC. - BRUCE
Is in agony. His muscles are cramped - he rolls on the
floor trying to control himself. His head inches up, drops
back.
HANNA
calms Bruce with hand gestures.
WIDE
The clock says 2:00 a.m.
HANNA
(tense whisper)
Quiet! !
Bruce starts shaking, violently. He twists. His belt
buckle hits the floor. There is the smallest TAP. Hanna
closes his eyes.
INT. BASEMENT - NEIL
Looks up at the ceiling. Down at the floor. He thinks.
Pause. This is the first tire we've heard them speak in
this sequence.
NEIL
(he decides; whispers)
...We walk.
CHRIS
(tense whisper; re:
the box)
I'm 60 seconds away. It's a rat
or something.
NEIL
(whispers)
It is not an animal sound. We
are out of here.
CHRIS
(tense whisper)
We need the cash!!
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NEIL
(tense whisper;
already going)
We walk!! Now.
No argument. Chris puts down his equipment.
They strip off and drop their surgical gloves. Chris tosses
his shop coat on the floor. Both unpin the lapels of what
is revealed to be dark suits with shirts underneath. They
abandon everything. They walk out the back door and keep
going.
EXT. ROOFTOP - ON JACKSON
JACKSON
(into radio;
whispered)
They're leaving. Why are they
leaving?!
ROOFTOP POV: WIDE ON ALLEY BELOW
Neil and Chris enter, approach the Pontiac with Cerrito
behind the wheel.
JACKSON (O.S.)
(radio filter;
whispered)
I can take 'em, now!
HANNA (V.O.)
(radio filter;
whispered)
Let 'em go.
INT. EMA, INC. - HANNA
JACKSON (V.O.)
(radio filter)
At least we got 'em on a...
For the first time in the last seven minutes we hear a
normal voice. Its LOUD.
HANNA
(cuts him off; into
radio)
Let em go. We got nothing! Not
even a burglary. They didn't
fucking steal anything yet.
Don't you get it? All we've
got's breaking and entry.
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EXT. ROOFTOP POV: ON ALLEY BELOW
Neil and Chris are in the Pontiac. Jackson's men are
poised.
JACKSON (V.O.)
(radio filter)
I'm not letting them walk!
HANNA
The fuck you aren't! That's
exactly what you are gonna do.
It's my investigation. And my
authority supersedes your rank!
And I am not settling for some
chicken shit misdemeanor!
Cerrito pulls away. At the end he turns on his headlights,
signals like a good driver, and turns right.
INT. EMA, INC., FIRST FLOOR - WIDE
Manna snaps off the radio.
HANNA
Back to work.
Then he pitches the radio in a line drive at Bruce, barely
missing his head.
RADIO
SMASHES into pieces.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENERAL LIQUORS, LAS VEGAS - WIDE - DAY
A "Las Vegas Police Department" car pulls to the curb.
Hanna and Schwartz get out and cross the crabgrass, dirt,
and debris-filled forecourt to a cheaply constructed wood
and glass one-story building.
CUT TO:
MARCIAN0'S OFFICE - MARCIANO - DAY
Hangs up the phone. We HEAR the DOOR OPEN.
MARCIANO
(rising; big smile)
What can I do for you guys?
Ignores his hand and shoves him
back into his office chair with
an open hand.
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CLOSER
Hanna rips open Marciano's desk drawer finds a gun, unloads
it, throws it on the floor, finds a small tape recorder,
pops the tape out and tosses it to Schwartz. Then he
flashes a badge at Marciano.
MARCIANO
L.A.P.D. Who the hell you think
you're pushing around? You got
no jurisdiction and I know people
here!
SCHWARTZ
Who? The fucking Tooth Fairy!
So what?
HANNA
You go back to Newark on a New
Jersey warrant for smuggling
cigarettes up from North Carolina
three years ago or you go to
work for us. Cut and dried.
That...is...it.
MARCIANO
Oh, my God...
HANNA
Charlene Shiherlis.
MARCIANO
Who?
SCHWARTZ
"Who?" The stranger you been
talkin' dirty to on the telephone
every day for the last month.
MARCIANO
You can't tie me to her!
HANNA
Who has to. You're onna plane
to New Jersey, jagoff.
MARCIANO
Oh, man...
(to himself)
Why did I get mixed up with that
bitch?
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HANNA
(sits down)
'Cause she's got a great ass and
you goT your head all the way up
it.
MARCIANO
(defeated)
So?
HANNA
So it's no big thing. I don't
even want her. You can have
her, after. I want her husband
and all his buddies; that's all.
And you're gonna help.
CUT TO:
INT. ROBERT'S COFFEE SHOP - NEIL + CHRIS - DAY
in a booth next to the window. Out the window is morning
traffic on Beverly Boulevard. Empty coffee cups say they've
been there a while. They lean close and talk low. Neil's
explosive behind it.
NEIL
LAPD? The G? What? Where the
hell did this heat come from?
CHRIS
Maybe it's only the EMA score,
not us.
NEIL
(low)
Wake up!
(beat)
Assume they got our phones, our
houses bugged, I beepers on all
the cars. We got major problems..
Where's Cerrito?
Neil looks over at the cook behind the high counter and
recognizes him.
NEIL'S POV: DAVID BREEDAN
NEIL (O.S.)
Recognize the cook?
CHRIS
No.
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NEIL
D Block. San Q. Did a nickel on
armed robbery.
INT. KITCHEN - BREEDAN
Grim, cold, working his ass off on five breakfast orders
simultaneously.
NEIL (O.S.)
Hey, David. How you doing?
Breedan turns, recognizes Neil and warms as if the sun
rose.
BREEDAN
Hey, Homeboy! All right!
(flips eggs; checks
orders)
How bout you?
NEIL
(sits on counter)
Gettin' by. You okay?
BREEDAN
(embarrassed; re:
job)
Yeah. Temporary. Know what I
mean?
Neil looks out and sees Cerrito.
NEIL
Sure. See you around.
INT. RESTAURANT - ON BOOTH
Neil slides in.
NEIL
(to Cerrito)
What took you so long?
CERRITO
(low)
My car. Bugs. Two of 'em.
Count 'em. One in the wheel
well. Second behind the fire
wall. Night of the party? I
dropped Elaine and swung by EMA
to check out the junction box...
He doesn't have to say anymore.
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CHRIS
Without the platinum how do we
buy the bank score?
NEIL
I cash in T-bills to pay-off
Kelso. That's not our problem.
CERRITO
What the hell happened to Van
Zant and our 750?
NEIL
With the heat we got, you wanna
play World War Two in the streets
with Van Zant?
CERRITO
Van Zant gets a pass?!
NEIL
Fuck Van Zant. I got more
motivation to whack him than you
do. He is a luxury. Our problem
is: jam and take the bank or
split.
(beat)
And I mean right fucking now.
Do not go home, pack, nothing.
Thirty seconds from now we are
on the road. Gone.
No answer. Chris and Cerrito are thinking.
CHRIS
For me, the bank's worth the
stretch. I say accept the risk,
stay.
NEIL
Michael?
CERRITO
(quietly)
I roll with you. Whatever...
NEIL
(quietly)
Not on this one, Michael. On
this one you make up your own
mind.
CERRITO
(he can't)
...you figure this the best thing
to do?
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NEIL
I got some plans. To go away
after. So for me, it's worth
the stretch.
Chris is surprised.
NEIL
(continuing)
But, Elaine takes good care of
you. You got plenty put away.
T. Bonds; real estate. If I
were you, I'd be smart and cut
loose of this.
CERRITO
thinks. The he shrugs, laughs:
CERRITO
Hey. To me the action's half
the juice anyway. I'm in.
NEIL
All right. All right.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILIMINGTON OIL FIELDS - OIL PUMP - DAY
WIDEN. It's a desolate area - empty space. Off in the
distance is a manufacturing plant and a billboard. PAN
LEFT and HOLD on Cerrito's Coupe de Ville. It pulls down
the dirt access road, lurching up and down on its soft
shocks, and raising billows of tan dust. It stops. Neil -
in a gray chamois jacket over a black T-shirt - gets out.
He hasn't shaved in a couple of days. Chris and Michael
Cerrito get out the left side. They walk TO CAMERA and:
CERRITO
That the place?
NEIL
Yeah. You see how the road leads
back around?
CERRITO
Yeah.
NEIL
That's the escape route...
VERY LONG SHOT: NEIL, CERRITO AND CHRIS
the three men point. Chris draws a map. Then they climb
back into the sky-blue Cadillac and drive away.
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SCHWARTZ (O.S.)
This is it.
PULL BACK and REVEAL Schwartz with binoculars and Casals
with earphones. They had been surveilling Neil and Cerrito.
There's a tape recorder with a directional microphone in a
parabolic dish.
CASALS
I know. Let's go!
WIDER
The two men run back from their observation position to an
unmarked car parked a hundred yards behind.
CUT TO:
SAME SCENE - WIDE - LATER - SUNSET
It's later. The CAMERA PANS the empty, desolate landscape
of oil pumps, dirt roads and a solitary billboard.
HANNA (O.S.)
What are they taking down out
here?
PULL BACK to REVEAL Hanna, Schwartz, Casals and Bosko.
Hanna looks through binoculars.
CASALS
They were looking at something
southwest...
HANNA
What's's that down there?
CASALS
An auto parts company. They're
going to knock over a payroll?
SCHWARTZ
The company only pays by check.
HANNA
Maybe they're gonna steal the
hub caps ...
O.S. we HEAR a CLICK.
HANNA
(continuing)
A billboard. Oil pumps. What
the hell's goin' on?
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SCHWARTZ
That's what we were trying to
figure.
ANGLE ON HANNA
Recognition dawns.
HANNA
I got an idea what they're looking
at. You know what they're looking
at?
Hanna turns his back on the rest of the detectives and a
big smile dawns upon his face. He raises his arms out
wide. Hanna turns in one direction, then another. Schwartz
doesn't understand.
HANNA
(continuing; to
Schwartz)
Is that guy something; or is
that guy something? I mean, you
gotta give this crew credit.
They are so fucking good...
(beat)
Know what he's looking at?
VERY TIGHT ON HANNA IN 3/4 REAR SHOT
The image vibrates. Hanna says more. We don't hear it.
We HEAR a CAMERA SHUTTER CLICK. The IMAGE FOCUSES and
DEFOCUSES. Another CLICK.
HANNA
Us. The L.A.P.D. The Police
Department. We just got made...
Hanna laughs.
EXT. KNOLL - L.S. HANNA - TWILIGHT
Pull back to reveal he's being surveilled by Neil. He's
been photographing Hanna with a black Nikon on a tripod
with a 1300Mm Questar Reflector lens. Neil's made his
tail. The recce in the blue Cadillac was bait. Neil half
returns Hanna's smile. He climbs into the Caprice. Cerrito
roars off, leaving a cloud of dust which billows into mauve
against the deep sky.
CUT TO:
EXT. KELSO'S TRAILER - WIDE - NIGHT
Neil comes out with Nate. Kelso moves in his Wheelchair
and closes the door.
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They cross to Nate's Buick and get in. Neil carries a
large, black sample case.
CUT TO:
INT. NATE'S MERCEDES - TWO SHOT - TRAVELING - DAY
Vapor lights glide past. Neil examines circuit diagrams
and architectural blueprints of the bank. Next he unfolds
a pasted-together 180 degree view of the street.
NATE
Worth it?
NEIL
(impressed)
There's enough circuit diagrams
and blueprints here to build the
bank.
(beat)
It's terrific.
Neil puts the materials back in the case and snaps it shut.
Next, Nate hands Neil a thick envelope. Inside are the
pictures Neil took of Hanna and xeroxes of Hanna's
employment records.
NATE
His name is Hanna; first name,
Vincent. I smeared this sergeant
in vice five yards. Hanna's all
over you. He's a hot dog.
Lieutenant in major Crimes Unit.
He's taken down some heavy crews.
Blew away Frankie Yonder in
Chicago and he was a fucking
maniac. Was working Narcotics
before that. He's good, Neil.
Dedicated. Divorced three times.
Current wife's Justine. He's
why the extra heat.
(pause)
Vice sergeant says Hanna likes
you. Thinks you're some kind of
'star.' 'You do this sharp, you
do that sharp. Look how sharp
this guy is to figure that.'
Neil laughs.
NATE
(continuing)
Funny as a heart attack.
(pause)
With this guy and this much heat,
you should pass on the bank.
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NEIL
I've had heat before.
NATE
That's not the point.
NEIL
This one's worth the stretch
NATE
You sure?
NEIL
I'm sure. Drop me at the garage.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN ZANT OFFICE - ON VAN ZANT - DAY
He's checking a computer print-out against a ledger sheet.
He looks like he's been sleeping in his clothes. His door
opens. He's startled.
HUGH BENNY
in an iridescent gold suit no tie - sticks his head in.
He breaks the ankles of people who - for the most part -
work for a living and have fallen behind on a juice loan.
He looks the part.
HUGH
Hear from him yet?
VAN ZANT
Not a thing.
HUGH
Maybe he went away.
VAN ZANT
(sarcastic)
Yeah. Sure.
(beat)
Not hearing bothers me more...
(an afterthought)
Where's this guy?
Hugh gestures down the corridor.
WAINGRO
enters.
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HUGH
(re Waingro)
This guy here...we put him on.
Turns out he knows McCauley.
WAINGRO
Waingro. My name's Waingro.
(smiles)
VAN ZANT
I been living in this office day
and night. What's with your
friend?
WAINGRO
I know all about how he thinks.
We took some major scores
together. He's probably busy
right now. But he's real
thorough. He won't forget you...
VAN ZANT
(wry)
That's reassuring.
WAINGRO
Yeah, I got some moves I could
make here, that could be a big
help to you...
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA CONDO - HANNA - 6:OO P.M.
enters. he's beat. He enters kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - WIDE
It's a mess with dirty dishes stacked in the sink.
HANNA
Justine?
No answer.
INT. JUSTINE'S BATHROOM - JUSTINE
Putting on makeup. She's dressed up: short black dress,
fish net stockings.
HANNA
Where we going?
No answer. Hanna gets it.
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HANNA
(continuing; acid)
Where are you going?
JUSTINE
Out.
Hanna leaves. Then Justine looks at where he stood. Her
cold demeanor cracks, then reassembles and she lights a
roach, takes a hit, dumps it in the toilet and finishes
her makeup.
INT. KITCHEN - HANNA
starts cleaning dishes in the sink. A DOOR CLOSES (O.S.).
He pumps Liquid Vel. It suds. Hanna picks up a plate to
wash it. He looks at it. Pauses. Then he SMASHES the
plate into the piles of dirty dishes and rests on his
forearms.
CUT TO:
EXT. 405 - TRAFFIC - NIGHT
under the flight path near LAX. We CRANE DOWN and pick up
Neil's Town Car.
CUT TO:
INT. TOWN CAR - NEIL - NIGHT
driving, looks into the rear mirror. FLASHERS hit his car
and a spotlight waves him over. He checks for helicopters.
There are none.
NEIL'S POV: ONE UNMARKED POLICE CAR
This is a routine stop. It's early evening, rush hour.
NEIL
slips his 9mm. Browning under his thigh and pulls over.
EXT. 405 SHOULDER - WIDE
Both cars pull onto the shoulder. Out of the unmarked
police car walks Vincent Hanna in jeans and a sweatshirt.
He approaches Neil's car.
NEIL
watches Hanna approach, wary. He didn't expect this to
happen.
HANNA
You know I'm on you. Let's talk.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 85.
NEIL
(beat; then)
Sure. Buy me a cup of coffee.
Hanna crosses back to his car.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOOD STAND - HANNA + NEIL - NIGHT
at a table. Headlights stream by to and from the airport:
business people, families going on vacations, people living
normal lives who have never used guns to kill people, never
experienced physical violence, some who have never been
stolen from and never steal. Surrounded on all sides by
this flow of normalcy:
HANNA
Seven years in San Quentin. In
the hole for three. McNeil before
that.
NEIL
Yeah.
HANNA
Was McNeil as tough as they say?
NEIL
You looking to become a
penologist?
HANNA
You looking to go back? I chased
some crews, the guys were lookin'
to fuck up and get busted back.
NEIL
You must have worked some dipshit
crews.
HANNA
I worked all kinds.
NEIL
(pause)
You see me doing thrill-seeker
liquor store holdups with a "Born
to Lose" tattoo on my chest?
HANNA
No, I do not.
NEIL
Right. And I...
(MORE)
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 86.
NEIL (CONT'D)
(low threat)
I am never going back.
The adversarial intensity is eye-to-eye.
HANNA
Then don't take down scores.
NEIL
I do what I do best. I take
scores. You do what you do best
trying to stop guys like me.
(shrugs)
HANNA
You never wanted a normal-type
life?
NEIL
What the fuck is that? Barbecues
and ballgames?
HANNA
That's part of it.
NEIL
That's nice. That your life?
HANNA
No. My wife spends half her
time on the couch. My
stepdaughter's got problems 'cause
her real father's a world class
asshole. And every moment I
got, I'm chasing guys like you.
NEIL
A man told me once: you want to
make moves? Don't keep anything
in your life you're not willing
to walk out on in 30 seconds
flat if you feel the heat around
the corner.
(pause)
So if you're chasing me and you
gotta move when I move, how do
you expect to keep a family?
HANNA
What are you, a monk?
NEIL
No.
(pause)
I got a woman.
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HANNA
What do you tell her?
NEIL
She thinks I sell swimming pools.
HANNA
And if you spot me around the
corner. You gonna walk out on
her? Leave her flat? Like that?
Not even say goodbye?
NEIL
That's the discipline.
HANNA
What you're left with is pretty
empty.
NEIL
Yeah?
(beat)
Then maybe you and me, we should
both go do somethin' else, pal.
HANNA
I don't know how to do anything
else.
NEIL
(the shared
confession)
...neither do I.
HANNA
And I don't much want to.
NEIL
Neither do I.
Both of these guys look at each other and recognize the
mutuality of their condition. Hanna's light laughter:
HANNA
We're sitting here like a coupla
regular fellas. You do what you
do. I do what I gotta do. What
happens if I am there and I got
to put you away?
(pause)
I won't like it. But, if it's
between you and some poor bastard
whose wife you're going to make
into a widow, brother, you are
gonna go down. 'Cause you don't
(MORE)
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HANNA (CONT'D)
have to be there. You coulda
gone and been a... a mailman.
NEIL
There's a flip side to that coin.
What if you got me boxed in and
I gotta put you down?
(beat)
'Cause no matter what, you will
not get in my way.
(beat)
But now that we been face to
face, I would not feel good about
that. But I won't hesitate.
Not for one second.
HANNA
(smiles)
Maybe it'll happen that way. Or
who knows ...
NEIL
...maybe we'll never see each
other again.
They look at each other for a moment. Neil's wry smile.
HANNA
(to waitress)
Can we have the bill.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S OFFICE - HANNA - NIGHT
entering.
DRUCKER
They dumped us!
HANNA
What?
DRUCKER
They dumped us.
HANNA
I was just with him!
DRUCKER
With who?
HANNA
Whattaya mean, "they dumped us"?!
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 89.
DRUCKER
Chris slipped his tail. And
Chris doesn't talk about jobs
with Charlene so there's nothing
for Marciano to get from her.
HANNA
(to Casals)
Cerrito?
CASALS
Disappeared. No calls to the
house. Not home.
HANNA
Locators on their cars?!
CASALS
(painful)
Cerrito dumped his on a UPS van.
Surveillance tailed a UPS van to
Oxnard.
Hanna picks up phone to call someone.
HANNA
(shouts)
They dumped all our tails?!!
CASALS
Yeah.
All at the same time. About nine p.m.
HANNA
(shouts)
I had coffee with McCauley half
an hour ago. What happened?
CASALS
Our tail saw you. McCauley pulled
into a car wash. Car came out.
He didn't.
Hanna's got no one to call. He throws the phone at the
wall.
HANNA
Does anybody have Any idea where
the fuck these people are at?
'Cause whatever they are gonna
do, they are doing it right now!
No one does.
CUT TO:
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 90.
EXT. ALLEY - WIDE - NIGHT 1:00A.M.
We see nothing. The alley is black. We HEAR a BUZZ.
ZOOM IN to a figure in black - almost invisible. The BUZZ
becomes an intense TEARING SOUND. At the end of the ZOOM
we realize it's Neil.
NEIL
(whispers)
Got it. it's eighteen inches
in.
CHRIS
opens his satchel and takes out a voltmeter.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - UPPER STORAGE ROOM - WIDE - NIGHT
It's deserted and unlit. We HEAR the SCRAPING NOISE of
Neil and Chris working. SLOWLY ZOOM INTO the upper corner
near the ceiling: A row of large fuse boxes. We ZOOM INTO
the center one. A sign: "Lighting and Alarm Systems"
CUT TO:
INT. ROBERT'S COFFEE SHOP - ON NEIL - DAY
He, Cerrito and Chris sit in a back booth. No one says
anything and they wait. There's the monotonous drone of
MUSAK. Neil watches the cook behind the high counter.
ANGLE ON KITCHEN - BREEDAN
Sees Neil and nods. Neil waves.
NEIL
Where the hell's Towner? I wanted
to pass by early. I want to
check the slot for the work car.
Chris looks at the wall clock: 12:30.
SOLENKO
crosses to CASHIER - an old lady with red lipstick.
SOLENKO
(re: Neil, Chris
and Cerrito)
How long those guys been sitting
back there?
CASHIER
Hour or so...
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SOLENKO
(crossing to grill)
They think this a hotel?
SOLENKO'S POV: OF NEIL, CHRIS AND CERRITO
in the booth. They're tense. Solenko doesn't know he
ought not to want to mess with them.
SOLENKO (O.S.)
(tough)
Twenty minutes, then I toss their
asses out of here.
INT. KITCHEN - BREEDAN - DAY
flips six eggs on the grill, throws frozen French fries in
the oil, turns bacon, flips pancakes and dumps eight pieces
of bread in the toaster. Solenko enters.
BREEDAN
(without turning)
You spell me? I didn't take my
break yet ...
SOLENKO
That spic, Cisco Kid, whatever,
didn't show. After the lunch
rush, haul out the garbage and
mop the back. Take your break
later.
Breedan takes it out on the toaster handles - banging down
each one.
BOOTH - CERRITO
on his fifth coffee, looks up.
CERRITO
Here he is.
TOWNER
crosses through and joins them. He's tense.
TOWNER
Hey! I'm out! I can't go.
NEIL
What are you talking about?
TOWNER
Anna's got a perforated appendix.
We took her to the hospital.
(MORE)
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 92.
TOWNER (CONT'D)
They're operating right now.
It's a mess. I got to get back
there...
NEIL
What the hell I do for a driver?!
TOWNER
Look, I got her sister there,
waiting at the hospital. I came
over 'cause I didn't want to
talk on the phone.
(continuing: rises)
I got to get back. Last thing
I'd do is let you down, Neil...
NEIL
What do you call this? Backing
me up?
TOWNER
(tense; angry)
I waited too long trying to get
past today! So now maybe she
got peritonitis.
(beat)
I got to be there...
He leaves.
CHRIS
What the fuck do we do now?
In answer, Neil rises and goes back into the restaurant
kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - TWO SHOT - DAY
Neil enters. Breedan turns.
NEIL
Here comes your second chance
for a change of luck...
BREEDAN
Yeah?
NEIL
Need a driver. Remember the
drill?
BREEDAN
Yeah. When?
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NEIL
To-day.
BREEDAN
(looks at Solenko)
You're on.
NEIL
Out back in five.
Neil leaves. Breedan rips off his apron. Eggs are burning
on the grill. The toast is smoking - clouds billow.
Sprinklers come on. Breedan couldn't care less.
SOLENKO
races in.
BREEDAN
rolls his apron into a ball and throws it away.
SOLENKO
(shouts)
Where the fuck you going?
Breedan throws Solenko out of the way. Solenko slips and
falls into the wet mess on the floor.
CUT TO:
INT. TOWNER'S HOUSE KITCHEN - TOWNER'S PICKUP - DAY
approaches, parks. He cuts the engine. FOOTSTEPS. Then
Towner enters his living room.
WAINGRO (O.S.)
They buy it?
WAINGRO
is revealed leaning against the door jam to the rear
bedroom. He straightens his clothes. A baseball bat rests
against the wall.
TOWNER
Yeah.
WAINGRO
(buddy-buddy)
I got to hand it to you, sport.
You're slick, pal smart how you
handled all this. On the ball.
Yeah.
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He winks. Hugh Benny (from Van Zant's office) rests against
a bamboo bar with a 9mm. Beretta in his waistband.
TOWNER
(wry)
Thanks. Where's Anna?
WAINGRO
She's resting. It's going down
anyway? On schedule?
TOWNER
That's right.
WAINGRO
(to Hugh)
Make the call.
Hugh crosses to the phone.
TOWNER
Where's she?
WAINGRO
I dunno.
TOWNER
Know what happens when Neil finds
out? To both of us?
WAINGRO
I know what's gonna happen.
Nothing's gonna happen. 'Cause I
got it master minded. I got it
jammed. This is solid. Take it
from the kid.
TOWNER
You hope.
(pause)
What do you mean, you don't know
where she is?
Towner looks at Hugh.
HUGH
dialing the phone - stares at Towner with a blank look.
TOWNER
Fear blossoms. He races to the bathroom off the kitchen
from which Waingro entered.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 95.
TOWNER
(screams)
Anna?
WAINGRO
(following; to his
back)
...showing her a good time.
We see Anna's arm on the floor. Waingro's picked up the
baseball bat he rested against the door jamb.
CUT TO:
EXT. FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK OF WILMINGTON - TRAVELING PAST
ENTRANCE - DAY
We PAN to HOLD IT. The entrance is on the street. The
parking lot is on the side.
NEIL (O.S.)
There's the slot.
PULL BACK to REVEAL we're SHOOTING from inside a Mercury
station wagon. Breedan drives. By now we're WIDE all the
way from behind the rear seat. Cerrito and Chris sit in
the rear. Ahead, cones block parking in one slot.
BREEDAN
Looks right. Come out the door,
your angle takes you into the
car. Don't have to run around
the doors. You want them open?
NEIL
No. 'Cause time is not a problem.
And I want nothing to look weird.
BREEDAN
Po-lice response time?
NEIL
There is none.
BREEDAN
Why?
CHRIS
Cause we bypassed all the alarms
last night.
(continuing)
For you this whole gig is a slow
cruise down Hawthorne...
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Cerrito hands out women's stockings. The men rip open the
packages and start to roll them up.
CUT TO:
INT. DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, HANNA'S OFFICE - BURGLARY
DETECTIVE - DAY
named HARRY DIETER - crosses through the corridor, taking
his tine - stopping for water and the candy bar machines -
enroute to Hanna's office.
CUT TO:
INT. MERCURY WAGON - CERRITO - DAY
Breedan at the curb on a residential street off Hawthorne
in view of the bank. Cerrito from a paper bag hands out
three H & K model 53 small machine-guns and gives Breedan
a .45 and two extra clips.
CLOSE SHOTS
Neil, Chris and Cerrito wear their stubby weapons concealed
under nylon shell jackets on shoulder straps. They shove
into place the curved clips, and release the top bolts,
jacking the first rounds into chambers.
NEIL
checks his watch.
NEIL
(with finality)
Drop us in the slot. Let's take
it down.
The Mercury wagon pulls from the curb.
CERRITO
checks and he re-checks his gun.
BREEDAN
drives. Cool. Unharrassed. His own ran, performing the
simple and critical task of driving a station wagon and
obeying perfectly every single rule of the California
Vehicle Code.
EXT. - HAWTHORNE AVENUE - MERCURY
APPROACHES CAMERA. Breedan puts on the left turn signal
and for the sign. Hawthorne is crowded with housewives,
women and kids and commercial traffic.
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There's a Safeway down from them with afternoon shoppers
and newspaper racks.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA OFFICE - DIETER - DAY
enters.
DIETER
(casual)
Hey, Casals. I got this tip
phoned in about this bank. It
mean anything to you?
Casals, bored, looks at the paper and explodes out of his
chair. Running for Hanna's desk:
CASALS
(shouts)
Vincent! Vincent!
WIDE
Hanna comes up, coffee in his
hand.
CASALS
Commercial Bank! Wilmington!
2:50!
They look up at clock.
THEIR POV: IT'S 2:43.
WIDE
Hanna spills his coffee and runs out without his coat.
Casals, Bosko and Schwartz follow.
CUT TO:
INT. HENESSEY AND INGALLS, STOCKROOM - CLOSE ON EADY - DAY
unpacking a box of new books. A RADIO DRONES in the
background.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(radio filter;
strident)
This is L.A.'s all news, 24-hour,
around the clock coverage of the
day's local, national and
international news, sports,
finance and weather, brought to
you by ...
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Eady has crossed to the RADIO and now turns it OFF.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT - DOMINICK - DAY
rolls on the white rug. WIDEN. Charlene holds out her
finger and Dominick grips it like a monkey and she pulls
him up.
ANGLE
She crosses and turns an the TV without volume. A
newscaster appears. Charlene turns her back on the TV.
On all fours, she advances on Dominick. He shrieks and
laughs and crawls away.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - ON STREET DOOR - DAY
Neil and Chris enter the street door. Chris lingers by
the guard. He reads a Rosicrucian handout. They smile at
each other. Neil approaches the window of teller JOHN
FISKE.
ON SIDE DOOR
Cerrito enters and hesitates to tie his shoe near Guard
FRANK MAGID.
NEIL
in line, waits: an old lady finishes and leaves.
JOHN
(to Neil)
Hi!
NEIL
Hi!
Can I borrow your pen, John?
JOHN
(smiles)
Sure thing!
John reaches into the side jacket pocket.
NEIL
pulls his stocking mask down over his face. He reaches
over the counter and grabs smiling John Fiske's lapels and
yanks him over the counter top and throws him across the
floor. Meanwhile:
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CERRITO
Say, Frank...?
Magid turns. Cerrito saps him expertly on the right
shoulder, paralyzing his gun arm, spins him and swipes the
sap across his neck. Meanwhile:
CHRIS
has smashed Guard One in the stomach with the H & X -
doubling him up. Now he braces him against the wall,
disarms and handcuffs him. He jerks on his stocking mask.
WIDE - THE BANK
There are two FEMALE TELLERS and four CUSTOMERS. Neil
moves toward the bank Officers at their desks, specifically,
while bringing up his H & K.
NEIL
(very nicely)
Ladies and gentlemen! We are
holding up this bank.
(continuing)
We want to hurt nobody. You do
exactly like we say and you come
away okay. We're here for the
bank's money, not your money...
TIMMONS
with Neil approaching, frantically stomps the alarm button
under his desk.
NEIL
...you people behind the windows:
the salaries this bank pays aren't
big enough to take risks for, so
think of your take-home pay before
you risk your life.
FACES
of Tellers and customers. Scared, but Neil's monologue
holds their attention. Throughout he's approaching Timmons.
NEIL
(to customers -
like a commercial)
...don't forget your money is
insured by the Federal Government.
You're not going to lose a penny.
Relax and you'll get through
this okay.
(MORE)
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NEIL (CONT'D)
(nice)
Any of the ladies feel ill or
anybody with heart trouble wants
to sit down, go right ahead.
He smiles.
NEIL
reaches Timmons.
NEIL
(smiles)
The key.
TIMMONS
What key?
Neil slams a punch into Timmons' face in calculated contrast
to his friendliness. It's an object lesson to customers
of the result of disobeying. Timmons flips backwards over
his chair.
NEIL
hauls him up, rips open his white shirt and pulls the key
an a lariat off his neck.
NEIL
Don't touch your face. Let it
bleed.
The white shirt is already splattered with blood. Customers
watch. They do not want this to happen to them.
CERRITO
pulls a straight razor and leans over Guard Magid. He
slits his pants leg and pocket open and extracts the other
key and it.
PAN 0N KEY
through the air and is caught by Chris. throws Timmons'
key. PAN it to Chris.
CHRIS
spins the ring handle for five seconds. The massive round
vault door opens. It reveals a second, rectangular door.
CERRITO
handcuffs Magid. handcuffs Timmons to his chair.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 101.
INT. VAULT
Chris inserts both keys, turns them simultaneously and the
second massive door opens inward.
LOW ANGLE: STEEL INNER SANCTUM
Inside is the four-wheel cart and the two large canvas
bags of money. WIDEN TO REVEAL Neil is there as well and
opens the Hefty Garbage bag while Chris whips out an Exacto
blade and slices the canvas bags open to check the contents.
THE CANVAS BAG
disemboweled, spills money. Lots of it. Chris loads both
into two Hefty bags Neil holds open.
NEIL
tosses one on his shoulder like a sailor's duffle bag, his
machine-gun in front...
CUT TO:
EXT. BANK - WIDE FROM FRONT - DAY
Cerrito exited the bank via the side door and now moves
quickly TO CAMERA up the side - his stocking mask off -
his H & K low, concealed.
NEIL
exits the bank through the front door TO CAMERA. The
sidewalk is crowded with school kids now and housewives.
No one pays attention as Neil tosses the first bag to
Cerrito...
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S CAR - HANNA, SCHWARTZ + BOSKO - DAY
racing in and out through the Hawthorne Boulevard traffic
to get past cars. Drucker and casals follow in a second
car. No sirens. Schwartz drives. The bank is seen 200
yards ahead..
SCHWARTZ
Too many people. This isn't how
to handle it
(shouts)
Vincent! Fuck this crew! Let
'em go!
CLOSE: HANNA
has to decide.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 102.
HANNA'S POV: CERRITO'S
dumped the FIRST BAG in the station wagon and Neil's
reentering the bank for the SECOND BAG.
HANNA
as car pulls in.
HANNA
(to Bosko)
Left flanking fire. street.
He made the decision.
CUT TO:
EXT. BANK AND STATION WAGON - CERRITO - DAY
awaiting bag number two. Breedan - calm and alert - IDLES
THE ENGINE in Drive while braking with his left foot.
PROFILE:
NEIL
coming out with the second bag. Chris follows - backwards
covering the interior. Neil avoids a lady pushing a
supermarket shopping cart, looks up and SEES:
NEIL'S POV: HANNA + SCHWARTZ
entering rapidly but surreptitiously 50 yards down the
sidewalk. Bosko's moving 90 degrees to the right, crossing
the street. There would be no, there was no, and there
never is any, warning. Neil Hanna and Schwartz with 12-
gauges OPEN FIRE. World War III ERUPTS. Now we hear
distant POLICE SIRENS.
CHRIS
is hit in the neck.
NEIL'S
FIRING 3-SHOT BURSTS that blow up Schwartz and a lamppost
and hit a woman who falls over her shopping cart, shrieking.
Hanna's behind the lamppost.
BOSKO
across the street with his AR-180, opens up on the station
wagon which takes HITS. A BLACK AND WHITE slides sideways
and COP #1 with a shotgun runs across the street hollering
at kids who stop and stare and drop school books.
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COP # 1
Drop! Drop down!
CERRITO
over the station wagon roof FIRES a BURST at Bosko, then
swings onto Cop #1 and fires, killing him. Cerrito jumps
into the wagon.
THE STREET - WIDE: A BUS
The driver panics and slams on his brakes and his bus full
of people stalls in the combat zone between Bosko and the
wagon.
BOSKO (O.S.)
(screams)
Get the bus out of here..
NEIL
shielded by the green bag of money which has taken hits,
FIRES at Hanna and backs to Chris.
HANNA
pulls Schwartz to cover.
CHRIS
dazed - holding his bleeding neck while Neil FIRES into
the parking lot...
PARKING LOT
...hitting Casals getting out of his car. Casals sits
down as if stunned.
MAN
pulling his car out of the lot ducks behind the wheel and
crashes it into a parked car.
EXT. BANK - CERRITO
CERRITO
(to Neil)
C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!
Neil can't rake it through the incoming FIRE from Hanna
and Cop #2 to the station wagon and Cerrito and knows it.
NEIL
(to Breedan and
Cerrito)
Go!! Go!!
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ON STATION WAGON
Breedan floors it.
HANNA
re-emerges, kneels and PUMPS SHOTS into the station wagon.
BOSKO
rounds the bus with the AR-180 and OPENS UP
STATION WAGON
draws everyone's FIRE. Breedan ducks and pilots it through
the gauntlet.
NEIL
has taken off down the sidewalk, supporting Chris. TIGHTEN.
He runs in among crowds of civilians. He knocks over a
man, breaks through. People are screaming, staring,
shocked.
INT. STATION WAGON - BREEDAN
getting BLOWN APART by Hanna, Bosko, and Cop #2 falls over
the wheel and then is thrown back.
EXT. STREET - STATION WAGON
tires are BLOWN OUT.
It spins across the street on steel rims and crashes
sideways into a parked car on the east side of Hawthorne.
INT. STATION WAGON - CERRITO
shot three times, holds his abdomen and bails, returning
FIRE. Breedan, like a rag doll is half over into the rear
seat and still being hit by more rounds. We HOLD on David
Breedan. He's dead.
CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE STREET - CERRITO
east up a side street past people who stand on their lawns
and stare - traumatized.
WIDER
Bosko and Cop #3 chase Cerrito. Cerrito FIRES a long BURST.
They can't fire back because of the people.
CUT TO:
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EXT. SAFEWAY - TRACKING NEIL + CHRIS - DAY
and the money - running, skipping and dodging past all
manner of pedestrians, newspaper coin boxes, fruit vendors
and parking meters. People dodge, scream and fall down.
It's chaos.
TRACKING HANNA
a half block behind, chasing Neil - pushing through the
same people.
HANNA
(shouts at
pedestrians)
Get down! Get down
EXT. SAFEWAY PARKING LOT - NEIL + CHRIS
Neil - supporting Chris - throws a lady, who was getting
out, back into her Olds Cutlass. He dumps Chris and the
money in the back seat and turns on Hanna.
NEIL
extends the collapsible stock braces on the roof for
accuracy and FIRES over the roof of other cars and through
people at Hanna closing in 5o yards away.
CUT TO:
EXT. SAFEWAY - HANNA + CIVILIANS
who panic. SHOOTING. Windows EXPLODE. A lady holds her
ears and shrieks. A newspaper coin box SHATTERS. A man's
bag of groceries explode milk and eggs everywhere. He
goes down.
HANNA
doesn't have a clear shot and drops, dragging people down
with him.
NEIL
behind the wheel - burns rubber pulling out of the lot
over curbstones and through a fence into the alley.
EXT. ALLEY - WIDE
Suddenly Neil drives very normally and jerks the lady
upright next to him like a wife. He drives away.
HANNA
runs to the alley - pulling his radio:
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 106.
HANNA
(into radio)
This is Hanna!
(no response; shakes
it)
Come in...
No response. Dead batteries. He throws the radio at the
Safeway wall: SMASH. And runs up the alley. Meanwhile:
CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE STREET - WIDE - DAY
Cerrito runs TO CAMERA through kids playing in a front
yard, looking over his shoulder at Drucker and Bosko who
can't fire because of the kids.
CERRITO
up a girl out of the yard.
CERRITO
(nice)
C'mere, honey.
She's the same age as his own daughters. He holds her to
his chest with one arm as a shield against Drucker and
Bosko. He FIRES a wild THREE SHOT BURST running up the
sidewalk. Meanwhile:
EXT. ALLEY - HANNA
emerges, cuts right. He brings up his 9mm. Smith and
Wesson. He slows. He stops. Hear his BREATHING. WIDEN
and PAN AROUND. Cerrito is running right at Hanna and
doesn't see him.
OVER HANNA'S SHOULDER: CERRITO'S
attention on Drucker and Bosko. Cerrito FIRES. The little
girl sees Hanna because he's aiming the 9mm. directly at
her with both hands. She stares into his eyes.
CERRITO
turns, sees Hanna. He starts swinging around the H & K on
its shoulder strap..
HANNA
FIRES ONCE.
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WIDE - CERRITO
is hit dead center in the forehead and topples backwards
like a felled oak. The little girl falls half on and off
his dead chest, screaming.
WIDE - HANNA, DRUCKER + BOSKO
get to Cerrito simultaneously. Bosko pulls the girl up
and turns her away.
BOSKO
takes the girl and folds her into his bear-like chest. He
carries her off. He holds onto her and wraps his jacket
around her. Tears stream down his face.
HANNA
standing there in the center of the mess: bodies, disabled
vehicles, people, shouting, SIRENS arriving, etc.
CUT TO:
INT. DR. BOB'S DOG AND CAT HOSPITAL SURGERY - CHRIS - DAY
is unconscious on the table. BOB, a veterinarian of 55 in
a white coat and bald head, works on him. DOGS BARK O.S.
from the kennels.
A CLAMP CLATTERS into the bowl. Chris moans in a dry rasp
and convulses. Bob motions to Neil to hold Chris'
shoulders.
NEIL
holds Chris down.
BOB (O.S.)
Bottom tray.
With one hand Neil gives Bob a tray of syringes.
WIDE - THE SURGERY
Bob's back obscures a series of injections into Chris'
neck and shoulder.
It's a veterinarian surgery and the metal table Chris is
an is for holding down dogs. Long leather straps aren't
buckled. There's pictures of cocker spaniels on the walls.
Spent syringes CLATTER into pans.
CUT TO:
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INT. DR. BOB'S OFFICE - DR. BOB - DAY
washes his hands in the sink. Neil sits on his desk. A
tv plays news footage from Bosnia.
DOC
Blood loss and shock and he'll
have a lot of pain in the shoulder
and back, but I'll give you
quarter-grain phials of morphine.
Subcutaneous injections.
NEIL
(nods)
What's the bottom line?
DR. BOB
Missed the carotid artery by
millimeters. There is mostly
tissue damage. And the collar a
bone's smashed. Can he rest
awhile?
NEIL
Six, seven hours. What do I owe
you?
News coverage switches to scenes from the robbery with the
commentator in a window.
DR. BOB
It's got to be twenty thou.
NEIL
What is this?
DR. BOB
You're number one with a bullet
on the six o'clock news. It's
at least double the risk. So
I'm doubling my price.
Neil opens a shopping bag and stacks packets of bills.
News coverage switches to sports and weather.
NEIL
You're wrong. It's four times
the risk. 'Cause something happens
to him, I'm coming back for you.
And I'm double the worst trouble
you ever had.
Bob looks at Neil's eyes and believes it.
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INT. SURGERY - CHRIS - DAY
on his stomach, breathing heavily.
NEIL
I'll be back for you.
CHRIS
(a little dazed;
rasp)
Charlene? Get her out!
NEIL
First, I got to know if our escape
route got ratted-out along with
everything else.
CHRIS
(rasps)
Who...
NEIL
Who wasn't around Towner.
Chris hacks, coughs; Neil helps him spit into a steel pan.
CUT TO:
EXT. HAWTHORNE - WIDE - SUNSET
It's the taped-off crime scene where Michael Cerrito
dropped. News media are all over. Spectators mill.
Emergency vehicles FLASHERS spin. Motorcycle cops re-route
traffic.
ANGLE
The battered Mercury wagon is still in situ, being dusted
by two TECHNICIANS for prints. We HEAR a car pull in o.S.
and.
ELAINE (O.S.)
(screaming; shouting)
Get out of my way!
(shrieks; sobs)
Michael. Michael. Michael.
Michael!!!
ELAINE CERRITO
knocks over a Uniformed Cop and runs down the sidewalk to
the chalked outline of Cerrito's body on the cement and
lawn.
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CLOSER
Another cop moves to stop her. She dodges him. Disheveled,
screaming, hysterical - she throws herself on the bloodied
ground Michael Cerrito died upon and clutches at the outline
drawing of his body and blood stains as if it were him.
NEWS CAMERAMAN
with lights moves in and tapes her. A Police woman tries
to help Elaine up. Elaine bats her away.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROBERT'S COFFEE SHOP - ON LILLIAN - NIGHT
enters from the coffee shop and crosses the street TO
CAMERA.
CUT TO:
INT. POLYNESIAN BAR, DOOR LILLIAN - NIGHT
enters. A TV mounted high in the corner BROADCASTS the
news with the SOUND OFF. A Man in a motorcycle jacket
plays the pinball machine. It CLICKS, bells RING, lights
FLASH.
LILLIAN
crosses to the bar and leans over.
LILLIAN
Say, bartender... ?
BARTENDER
rings up a sale, changing a $20.
BARTENDER
In a minute, lady.
Lillian waits. Behind and above her the Newscaster cuts
from Last coast storms to coverage of the bank robbery
aftermath: bullet holes in windows, Cerrito's body,
Breedan's body, etc.
LILLIAN
sees none of it. Then: impatient:
LILLIAN
(shouts to Bartender)
You seen that fella I pulled out
of here the other night? Big
fella with a beard?
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More robbery aftermath plays across the screen.
BARTENDER
at end of bar. Finishes with the customer. On his way to
Lillian he turns up the TV volume.
TV ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
...dead were Michael T. Cerrito,
Caucasian male and the driver,
an unidentified black male in
his early 30's, who died enroute
to St. Vincent's Hospital...
As the bartender reaches her - WIDEN TO INCLUDE Lillian.
She stares at the television - stunned - at seeing David's
face on the paramedic stretcher in a FREEZE FRAME.
BARTENDER
(to Lillian)
What can I get you, ma'am?
(she says nothing)
Lady, you okay.
She stares at the TV and holds onto the deep polished grain
of the bar.
CUT TO:
INT. SHIHERLIS APARTMENT - WIDE - NIGHT
Charlene ignores Dominick playing at her feet as she watches
the news coverage of the bank robbery with her hand over
the mouth.
CHARLENE
rises, picks up Dominick, crosses to the phone. She punches
11 digits. We HEAR the phone RING on the other end.
MARCIANO (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Yeah.
CHARLENE
(into phone)
Harry? If you want me, Come
right down and get me and Dominick
out.
MARCIANO (V.O.)
(phone filter; eager)
Sugar. I'll catch the 8 o'clock
and rent a car. I'll be there
at your place in two hours.
(MORE)
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MARCIANO (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Get packed. Okay? I'll be right
there.
Charlene hangs up. The PHONE RINGS again. She doesn't
answer.
CUT TO:
INT. TOWN CAR - NEIL - NIGHT
on the phone. No answer. He hangs up.
CUT TO:
INT. MARCIANO HOME - MARCIANO - NIGHT
WIDEN TO INCLUDE Las Vegas uniformed Cop and a
PLAINCLOTHESMAN who's risen put of his seat. A tape
recorder's attached to the telephone.
PLAINCLOTHESMAN
Let's get you on that plane.
CUT TO:
EXT. TOWNER'S HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT
The white frame house with one palm tree in front on the
hilltop overlooking downtown L.A. No lights are on. It's
sinister.
CUT TO:
INT. TOWNER LIVING ROOM - ON WINDOW - NIGHT
It's gray muslin drapes blow in TO CAMERA on the night
wind. SLOWLY we TRACK LEFT into the draperies and shadows.
it's eerie. Suddenly a face is there. It's Neil, flattened
against the wall, his .45 in his hand.
WIDE
Neil FLASHES his penlight around the room. Nothing.
INT. TOWNER BEDROOM - DOOR
It opens silently. Neil's cautious, sweeping his .45 into
the corners, clearing them. He looks around. There's a
wallet with money and scattered clothes. It means they
haven't split.
INT. TOWNER KITCHEN - LOW
Neil - cautiously - enters. Nothing. O.S. we HEAR WATER
RUNNING from another room. TIGHTEN.
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Neil works his way to the SOUND. He crosses to the bathroom
off the kitchen.
INT. TOWNER BATHROOM - ON NEIL
through the crack in the door. He starts to push it open.
Something blocks it. The water SOUNDS are LOUDER. Neil
shines his light INTO CAMERA.
NEIL'S POV: WIDE - ON THE FLOOR
Towner is near death, beaten to a pulp. Something or
someone is in the shower stall. Blood's all over.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Neil uses his penlight. He puts a towel under Towner's
head. Towner's face - against the white octagonal tile
floor - is a mess. He opens his eyes. TILT UP to Neil.
NEIL
Who?
TOWNER
(whispers)
Made me...Anna...?
Neil crosses to the shower stall and looks in. He comes
back to Towner.
NEIL
(grim)
She's dead...
(beat)
So's Cerrito and Breedan...the
guy who stood in...for you.
(beat)
Who did this...?
TOWNER
(whispers)
They had Anna.
NEIL
(Softly)
Who?
TOWNER
Waingro.
NEIL
Waingro? On his own?
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TOWNER
(whispers)
Uh-uh. For someone. The other
worked for...said...
Coughs and shakes his head. He doesn't remember the name.
Neil thinks. Then:
NEIL
Van Zant?
Towner nods his head.
NEIL
(continuing)
You sure?
TOWNER
(nods; whispers)
Uh-huh.
NEIL
You say anything about our exit?
Our out?
TOWNER
(whispers)
...don't remember. I...
NEIL
C ' mon!
TOWNER
(implores; whispers)
Neil...Neil...I don't think so.
Neil can't get a straight answer.
NEIL
(low)
The house clean?
Towner nods.
NEIL
(continuing; rising)
I'll call the medics.
PAN RIGHT with Neil. He turns off the water in the sink
and leaves.
CUT TO:
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EXT. PUBLIC PHONE IN GAS STATION - NEIL - NIGHT
The freeway's nearby. Traffic ZOOMS past. It's all
concrete, public toilets, and green vapor lights.
NEIL
(quietly; into phone)
...Nate.
NATE (V.O.)
You on a cellular?
NEIL
(into phone)
No.
NATE (V. 0. )
(phone filter)
A brick house on Swallow Drive
in Bel Air.
NEIL
(quietly; into phone)
Next: Waingro. Okay?
NATE (V.O.)
(phone filter)
You got the time...?
NEIL
(into phone)
I'll make time.
(beat)
I need a new "out" laid on.
NATE (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Do you know it's blown?
NEIL
(into phone)
How can I trust it?
Hangs up. Neil drops another quarter and dials again.
After a moment.
EADY (V. 0.)
(phone filter)
Hello?
NEIL
(into phone)
Things are screwed up. You're
not flying out after me. We go
together.
(MORE)
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NEIL (CONT'D)
You and me got to straighten
something up first. I'll be by
later.
EADY (V. 0.)
(phone filter)
What's wrong? Neil?
Neil hangs up.
CUT TO:
EXT. VAN ZANT HOUSE, FRONT DOOR - WIDE - NIGHT
Neil enters directly from the front door and RINGS the
bell. It's a $3,000,000, 70's modern. Neil puts his finger
over the peephole. After a few moments:
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - VAN ZANT - NIGHT
can't see. Tries light switch. Nothing. He puts his ear
to the door to hear if someone's there.
VKN ZANT (O.S.)
Who is it?
No answer.
EXT. HOUSE - NEIL
kicks the door in.
INT. HOUSE - VAN ZANT
goes flying back.
NEIL
is four feet away. The big .45 Automatic is aimed into
the center of Van Zant's chest.
NEIL
Waingro. Where is he?
VAN ZANT
(shouts)
How the hell should I know?
Neil pulls the trigger: TWO LOUD SHOTS blow Van Zant back
into his foyer. He slides 15 feet across the highly
polished black and white tiled floor. Neil walks away.
CUT TO:
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EXT. L.A. CENTRAL MARKET PARKING LOT - WIDE - NIGHT
Porters wheel huge loads of fruits and vegetables and sides
of beef. Massive semi's pull through the lot.
NEIL (O.S.)
How much?
NATE
$165,000.
NEIL (O.S.)
That's a rip-off.
ZOOM onto cars parked side by side facing opposite
directions: Neil's Lincoln and Nate's Cadillac. They talk
car-to-car.
NATE
You want a good getaway and you're
hot with a big score in your
pocket. You're a media event.
What the fuck do you expect?
NEIL
What do I get for those dollars?
NATE
You end up in Ireland with good
papers and plastic.
NEIL
Via what?
NATE
Lear jet to Vancouver. Then
commercial to Reykjavik; then
Dublin.
NEIL
Reliable?
NATE
For those bucks? 100 per cent.
I got the plastic on me. The
passports will be on the plane.
Who's the third?
NEIL
A girl. With her own papers.
(takes cards)
What are these good for?
NATE
Forty-five to sixty days.
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NEIL
How soon?
NATE
Twenty-four hours.
NEIL
Make it twelve.
NATE
You're going for an important
ride. If they say twenty-four
for it to be right, then it's
twenty-four!
NEIL
You checked all around?
NATE
All around.
(beat)
You and I go way back, kiddo, I
bought you the best.
Neil says nothing. Then:
NEIL
Where's the pick-up?
NATE
Santa Monica Airport. They're a
legit operation. I won't have
details until tomorrow morning.
He hands over a small briefcase.
NATE
(Continuing)
What is it?
NEIL
Kelso's share. Ten per cent.
$400,000. That's less the 50
advance. The other bag was with
Cerrito.
CUT TO:
INT. LAPD CORRIDOR - ON HANNA, DRUCKER + FARINA - HAND
HELD
They're moving fast down the corridor. Hanna is throwing
everything into motion.
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HANNA
(to Farina)
You stick with the Charlene
Shiherlis piece.
FARINA
Marciano's on a plane in here
from, Las Vegas to pick her up.
We got a house I set..
HANNA
Maybe Chris or Neil will come
for her. Frankly, I doubt it.
(to Drucker;
continuing)
You work Neil's transport from
here on the phones.
DRUCKER
McCauley's gotta be gone. He
hadda have a getaway planned.
HANNA
And now he's gotta get a new
one! Would you trust it after
this afternoon?
(beat)
Someone, somewhere's agenting it
for him. That's a main track.
We got Shiherlis setting up.
That's a main track. I want
more.
FARINA
How much time we got?
Hanna turns toward a door.
HANNA
Eight, ten, twelve hours. For
him to set up a new out. After
that? He's gone. Bam! Bye-
bye.
Hanna exits through the door.
CUT TO:
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - WIDE - NIGHT
Hanna and Drucker enter. Bosko's there with HARRY DIETER
the burglary cop who gave Casals the tip on the bank job.
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HANNA
(to Bosko; sarcastic)
He's the burglary cop with the
"terrific tip?"
BOSKO
Yeah.
DIETER
Who are you?
HANNA
Hanna. Where'd it come from?
DIETER
(defensive)
I got my informants. Just like
you got...
Hanna kicks a chair out of the way and bounces Dieter up
against the wall. Bosko starts to restrain him.
HANNA
(explodes)
I got Schwartz. Dead. Casals
got no liver. He's dying. Don't
come on to me with "confidential
source" crap!
He slams Dieter into the wall.
DIETER
(shouts)
Hugh. Hugh Benny. He gives me
tips...!
Hanna's gone. Bosko follows.
CUT TO:
INT. HUGH BENNY'S APARTMENT -FRONT DOOR - NIGHT
HOLD. Then it EXPLODES off its top binges and hangs
disabled. Hanna comes through with the cut down sledge
hammer. He's backed up by Bosko and Berryman - another
middle-aged heavyweight - with a regulation 12-gauge.
REVERSE - LIVING ROOM - HUGH BENNY
himself a heavyweight, races across the room for the rear.
Hanna tackles him.
BOSKO
hauls Hugh up, kicking, punching and bouncing him off the
walls. Hugh swings at Bosko.
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Bosko knocks it aside, and spins him to Hanna. Hanna throws
him into the bathroom.
INT. BATHROOM - BENNY
crashing in. Hanna throws him through the shower door
into the bath tub. Hugh's cut.
HANNA
(shouts)
Who ratted-out McCauley? C'mon!
Who? You?
CUT TO:
EXT. MARINA DEL RAY CONDOS - NIGHT
Farina gets out of an unmarked car with Charlene Shiherlis
and a sleeping Dominick and they cross into the building.
It's a rough cedar, two-story studio. A second car empties
four cops - including Cop $4 and Cop #5 - carrying flack
vests and M-16's. As they confer about positioning...
CUT TO:
INT. SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT - CHARLENE - FIGHT
enters and sees Marciano already there. Surprised:
CHARLENE
(screams)
Whose side are you on?
MARCIANO
I'm on yours.
CHARLENE
You slimy piece of shit. What a
joke.
MARCIANO
You told me you want out from
under? You're scared to death
of Neil. You wanted out? This
is out!
CHARLENE
What's your end?
MARCIANO
You dump broad! How'd I get
into this?
FARINA
Hey, hey! Go easy on the lady!
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MARCIANO
(surprised)
Huh?
FARINA
You heard me. She had a rough
ride.
(beat)
Go mix her a drink. Cabinet
above the sink.
MARCIANO
Fuck her.
FARINA
Get the fuck in there!
Marciano does. Charlene seems to soften and relax and
take satisfaction at Marciano's put-down.
FARINA
(continuing; soft)
He's right. And you know it.
You think you'd be betraying
Chris?
CHARLENE
(right to his face)
Yes.
FARINA
Well, you're right. You would
be. But if you don't betray
Chris, you betray Dominick.
Because he becomes an orphan
when you go to prison as an
accessory 'cause you got no living
parents to take him. Then he
ends up state-raised and fucked
for life. Your son Dominick's
innocent. He didn't choose a
life like that. Chris did.
Charlene rises and crosses to a bedroom and looks in the
door - presumably at Dominick.
FARINA
(continuing)
Give up Chris. You get off clean.
Do it for your kid.
Charlene sits - shell-shocked - dressed in black with white
face and red lipstick. Marciano re-enters with a drink
for her. Charlene looks towards the bedroom containing
Dominick, then nods her head "yes." Farina dials a number.
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FARINA
(continuing; into
cellular phone)
Vincent. It's me. We're set
here. She'll make the call.
Charlene dials a number into the regular phone. Then:
CHARLENE
(into phone)
I'm going to give you an address
of where I'm staying. Could you
get it to Chris?
CUT TO:
INT. HUGH BENNY'S APARTMENT - HANNA - FIGHT
HANNA
(into phone)
Okay.
He hangs up. Redials Drucker. In the b.g. Hugh Benny is
handcuffed, soaking wet and half-conscious on the floor.
Berryman watches him.
DRUCKER (O.S.)
M. C. U.
HANNA
(into phone)
It's me. Tracks back to this
union guy, Van Zant. He had
some beef with Neil. Neil already
settled it. Van Zant got dead
earlier tonight.
(pause)
Now Hugh Benny has reformed his
wayward life and become a born-
again good citizen. So, he's
revealed the key player is this
cowboy Waingro. Used to be part
of Neil's crew. Waingro committed
a double murder today on Towner,
a driver, and his old lady.
(pause)
Meanwhile Waingro's checked into
the Airport Hyatt House under
"Jamieson." Maybe Neil will make
a move on him, but not likely.
(pause)
Get the word to bailbondsmen,
bookies, snitches in County,
etc. where Waingro is. And get
a team down there to set it up.
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DRUCKER (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Want me to do it?
HANNA
(into phone)
No. You stay on who's agenting
Neil's getaway. What have you
got?
DRUCKER (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Nothing yet.
Hanna hangs up.
HANNA
(to Berryman)
He's here. He's still here. I
can feel it.
BERRYMAN
For how long?
HANNA
Eight, ten hours max.
CUT TO:
INT. EADY'S HOUSE - EADY - NIGHT
was in bed. Now she answers the door. The bamboo shades
are partly raised revealing the L.A. basin - the city of
light. She wears a red and black Japanese kimono. Neil
McCauley enters. Eady stares at him as he crosses to the
fridge and drinks from a bottle of club soda.
EADY
(quietly)
What did you do?
(re TV)
Was that you?
NEIL
It's what I don't do.
(beat)
I don't sell swimming pools. It
would have been okay. You would
have flown out after. You didn't
need to do a thing. Now I'm
jammed. We got to go together.
Because we get dropped in a place
and then I decide: New Zealand
or Brazil or Tunisia, whatever.
I can't leave a string back here
to where I am.
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EADY
(confused)
What.
He realizes he's way ahead of her.
NEIL
I rob and steal for a living.
Do you understand?
EADY
(amazed)
You killed people?
NEIL
If they got in the way. Yes.
It's their problem.
EADY
The woman on the grass...where
her husband got shot..
NEIL
Elaine Cerrito.
(pause)
Michael Cerrito's wife. Michael
was my friend. He knew the risks.
He didn't have to be there. He
coulda been a...been a mailman.
(he stops)
EADY
I don't believe it.
NEIL
Believe it.
She stares at him.
NEIL
(continuing)
Eady. Get packed. Get dressed.
Let's go.
Eady runs out the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. HILLSIDE - WIDE - NIGHT
Eady - in her black and red kimono - tears up the steep
hillside of golden fountain grass TO CAMERA from her house
on the side of the hill. We HEAR her BREATHING.
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NEIL
(after her)
Eady! !
ANOTHER ANGLE
She keeps going. Neil catches her and she falls into the
grass.
CLOSE - TWO SHOT
EADY
(explosively
hysterical)
Why you do this to me! What I
do to you?!
NEIL
Shut up!
She does. She goes totally blank. Neil picks her up.
CUT TO:
INT. EADY'S HOUSE - WIDE - DAY
It's morning. Eady's affect is flat, robotic.
NEIL
(soft)
Use these credit cards. They
say "Mr. and Mrs." I reserved
the car. Buy me some clothes.
Here's a list. I can't go home
for my stuff. Can you do it?
EADY
When's it over?
NEIL
Twenty-two hours. Then we fly
out of here...clean.
He kisses her. She doesn't respond. She stares at him.
EADY
I want you to let me go. When
will you let me go?
NEIL
You can go now. There's the
door, you want out...
EADY
No, I have to do what you say.
But will you let me leave after?
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NEIL
It will be different...
She starts to leave. Neil stops her. She glances at him
and leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR - HANNA - DAY
driving.
It's morning. He's been up all night.
INT. HANNA CONDO - HANNA - DAY
entering door.
COOKING SOUNDS. He stops. Frozen.
FARINA'S POV:
A MAN
on his sofa watching his TV. His name is RALPH.
JUSTINE (O.S.)
(ignorant of Hanna's
presence; to Ralph)
It's ready...
JUSTINE
enters, sees Hanna.
JUSTINE
(cool)
Oh. Meet Vincent.
RALPH
Excuse me. You didn't tell me
you were...
Ralph sees Hanna's 2" .38 in his waistband.
RALPH
(continuing)
Oh, my God...
HANNA
What's your name?
RALPH
(frozen)
I should....Ralph...I'm...
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Hanna's reaction to Ralph is vacant of emotion.
HANNA
I'm Vincent Hanna.
JUSTINE
Don't you even get angry?
HANNA
(to Justine)
I'm angry.
(to Ralph)
Ralph, you can ball my wife.
You can lounge around her $1.7
million condominium on her sofa.
You can do all those things.
But you do not get to watch my
fucking TV...!
Hanna lifts it off the table, spilling framed pictures. A
commercial segues to a quiz show.
HANNA
(continuing; to
Justine)
I've never screwed around. I've
been true blue to you since the
day we met.
JUSTINE
It would have been preferable if
you had! You made me do this!
HANNA
Right I had Ralph fuck you 'cause
it makes me feel so good.
JUSTINE
Put down the television. You
look ridiculous.
(he doesn't)
Dr. Prince says I'm trying to
get your attention. Christ! I
have to pay someone to figure
out my life with you.
RALPH
Maybe I should...
HANNA
Shut up!
JUSTINE
Why's it my job to figure it all
out and explain it to you?
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HANNA
'Cause you're the one who spends
all the time on the couch.
JUSTINE
And what do you do?
HANNA
What do I do? I speak the English
language. Words. Sentences
even.
JUSTINE
How admirable: proletarian candor.
HANNA
Thank you.
JUSTINE
Except you don't say a damned
thing. You neglect me. You
don't call. I can worry about
you or not. So I withdraw. You
don't notice. You're walking
through our life chloroformed,
Vincent. Wake up. It's almost
over.
She unplugs the TV. The image Hanna's holding dies. Hanna
looks at her and leaves.
CUT TO:
EXT. DR. BOB'S DOG AND CAT HOSPITAL, KENNELS - WIDE - DAY
Basset Hounds BAY. Nate, Neil and Chris walk between the
cages of parked pets - all of whom make a RACKET. The
talk loudly over it. Chris' left arm is in a canvas sling.
His hair has been cut short. He looks different. Dogs
BARK throughout.
NATE
I got Cerrito's share deposited
in the Delaware Trust for Elaine.
She's pretty bad...
(pause)
Passports. Traveler's checks.
Plastic.
(hands them over)
Hangar 17. Plane call letters
are 1011 Sierra. Touches down,
holds for five minutes and splits.
The plane will stand an FAA check.
Filed flight plan. The works.
(MORE)
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NATE (CONT'D)
(to Chris)
Here's the address Charlene said
she was at. But I don't have
documents for her.
CHRIS
I'm not flying. I'm drivin'.
NATE
(looks at Neil; to
Chris)
Fly. Send for her later.
(to Neil)
Can't you talk to him?
NEIL
I been trying.
NATE
(to Neil)
Talk to you in three hours in
case there's changes.
Nate leaves.
NEIL + CHRIS
NEIL
Use the Camaro. Its clean and
will stand a DMV check.
Registration in the glove box.
CHRIS
How you getting around?
NEIL
Someone's picking me up.
CHRIS
A girl on the side?
NEIL
(laughs)
See you, cowboy.
CHRIS
So long, brother.
They embrace. Neil slaps the side of his face slowly -
and leaves.
CUT TO:
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INT. MERCEDES 560 SL, TRAVELING - NEIL + EADY - DAY
EADY
(driving)
Clothes are in the trunk.
NEIL
Any trouble?
EADY
No. When's it over?
NEIL
Six hours. 8 p.m.
She stops for a red light - a little sharply.
NEIL
(continuing)
I'll buy you lunch. Everything's
smooth. We're going to fly
away...
Neil looks for Eady's reaction: no response.
CUT TO:
INT. FARINA APARTMENT - WIDE DAY
FARINA'S
been up all night and looks it. Bags of take-out food and
coffee containers litter the table. Dominick crawls over
and up Farina's leg.
Charlene comes over. Farina picks Dominick up and makes a
face and growls. Dominick laughs. Charlene smiles and
takes him. Phone RINGS. Farina takes it, listens. Then:
FARINA
(into phone)
Not a thing. What about you?
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA OFFICE - WIDE - DAY
Hanna, Drucker and Bosko - more all-nighters with one day
growths - pore through files and hang on phones.
It's frantic. Hanna's on with Farina.
HANNA
(into phone)
Someone's agenting Neil's stuff?
(MORE)
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HANNA (CONT'D)
Who? The Tooth Fairy? Talk to
you later.
Hanna hangs up. He thinks for a second.
HANNA
(continuing; suddenly
to Drucker)
...how did Charlene get the Marina
address passed to Chris?
They come up out of their chairs and Hanna's punching
numbers. He's furious.
HANNA
(continuing; to
Drucker)
I don't believe I didn't think
of this.
(into phone)
Farina?
CUT TO:
EXT. SAN DIEGO FREEWAY, PHONE BOOTH - NEIL - TWILIGHT
Green vapor lights have ignited on the freeway behind them.
Neil drops the quarter and dials. Eady sits in the Mercedes -
waiting. Behind them streams of cars and headlights pass
by. We HEAR a PHONE RING.
NATE (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Yeah?
NEIL
(into phone)
Hi ya.
NATE (V. 0.)
(phone filter)
You okay?
NEIL
(into phone)
Yeah, Breedan's end?
NATE
(phone filter)
Still can't find nobody. It's
in the Delaware Trust. You tell
me later what to do. And about
your ride. No changes. Right
on schedule.
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NEIL
(into phone)
Okay...
Starts to hang up...
NATE (V. 0.)
(phone filter)
By the by: I heard your pal is
checked into the Airport Hyatt
under "Jamieson"...if you still
care...
Neil doesn't answer.
NATE (V.O.)
(continuing; phone
filter)
I figured you wouldn't waste the
time.
In the background Eady turns on the radio and watches Neil
in the phone booth and rests her chin on her hand on the
door.
NEIL
(into phone)
You figured right.
(smiles)
Take it easy, old man.
NATE
(phone filter; laughs)
You take it easy. Be careful,
huh?
Neil hangs up and turns to Eady. He stands there. He
nods.
NEIL
(to Eady)
That was the last bridge.
Eady looks away.
NEIL
gets in and hugs her desperately. It's the most emotional
we've ever seen him. Eady responds not at all. Neil lets
her loose.
CUT TO:
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 134.
INT. NATE'S STOREFRONT TAX OFFICE - NATE - DUSK
hangs up - still smiling. Behind him - out the window -
two cars SCREECH to a halt. Hanna's the first one out.
Bosko and Drucker are in the second car. Guns drawn, they
bust into the Tax office. As they come through the door:
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S CAR, TRAVELING WIDE ON REAR SEAT - NIGHT
Nate's handcuffed behind his back between Hanna and Bosko.
HANNA
He blows out of here, you'll do
his time. I want...
NATE
(shouts back)
Screw what you want. Who the
fuck are you?
HANNA
(shouts)
Your worst nightmare. Hard time,
Nate!
NATE
(shouts back)
I ain't looking at shit, and you
know it! So don't con me.
BOSKO
(grabs Nate; to
Hanna)
I'll work him...
NATE
(shouts at Bosko)
Go ahead!
HANNA
(to Bosko)
Don't touch him!
(to Nate)
Accessory. Armed robbery and
murder one. Dealing stolen
merchandise and securities. You
agent for Neil. At least the
armored car and bank. Everything
I tie him into, I tie you into.
Two cops dead. Other bodies on
the sidewalk. You understand
that kind of heat? You fucking
get it!
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NATE
Neil who...?
CUT TO:
INT. DIVISION, BOOKING ROOM - TRACKING ON - NIGHT
Hanna dragging in Nate followed by Drucker and Bosko. A
Booking Officer's in front of a cage. Hanna throws Nate
at the cage.
HANNA
(shouts to Drucker)
Book him on Accessory to Armed
Robbery, Murder One, A.D.W., and
Trafficking Stolen Merchandise.
(shouts at Nate)
The Nazi's in Quentin will turn
your ass into a satchel. You're
an old man. Gimme Neil!
NATE
(shouts back)
What I'll give you is so many
false arrest lawsuits, you won't
have time to write traffic
tickets!
Nate's dragged away.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S OFFICE - HANNA - NIGHT
with Drucker and Bosko - enters and kicks a chair out of
the way.
HANNA
Get me Farina.
Drucker punches in the number.
DRUCKER
Can we put Nate away?
HANNA
With a staff of five or six
marshaling physical evidence for
six months after two years' worth
of continuances...maybe he'll do
18 months. Won't fucking happen.
(to Bosko)
Check the bait.
BOSKO
Waingro?
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HANNA
Yeah. At the hotel.
Bosko starts dialing. Drucker hands Hanna the phone with
Farina on the other end.
CUT TO:
EXT. PACIFIC PALISADES CLIFFS - TWO SHOT- TWILIGHT
The sun is setting beyond Point Dume. Neil and Eady are
at the edge of the sea cliff. He checks his watch. He
looks cut at the sky. He wears clothes Eady bought.
POV: SANTA MONICA BAY
The swells rock a few small boats near the reef: PAN RIGHT.
The sun is gone. The sky To the LEFT the bulk of a 747
rises over the ocean slowly, as if gravity didn't exist.
NEIL
Look over there.
EADY
watches screaming gulls swirling below against the water.
NEIL
(talks to the back
of her)
I don't even know how to think
like this...cause this has
happened to me late in my life.
But I got some expectations.
For us. You can walk right now
if you want. Walk away. Or
you...on your own...you choose
to come with me. I got enough
in there to take care of us for
forever.
There's no response.
NEIL
(continuing)
Eady.
She turns and looks into his eyes. He touches the side of
her face.
NEIL
(continuing)
Eady?
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She folds into his arms and they stand there against the
darkening sky and red cirrus.
CUT TO:
EXT. MARINA - WIDE ON ALLEY FROM ROOF - TWILIGHT
Neil's Lincoln driven by Chris enters and parks near six
guys playing shirts and skins under two spotlights. He
winces from the pain. His arm is in the sling. He looks
at the piece of paper Nate gave him and looks up TOWARDS
CAMERA at the address. He doesn't get out of the car.
COP #6 (V.O.)
(radio filter; matter
of fact)
Richie. A possible moved into
the zone.
COP #5 (V.O.)
(radio filter)
We got him.
FARINA (V.O.)
(radio filter)
I copy.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL we're SHOOTING FROM the roof of the
apartment building DOWN onto the alley and in the
FOREGROUND, prone on the roof is COP #5 in flack vest with
an AR-180 rifle with a nite-site scope aimed at Chris.
Two buildings away is Cop #4.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S OFFICE - WIDE - NIGHT
Hanna's on the phone.
FARINA (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Got a live one.
HANNA
(into phone)
I'll hold.
CUT TO:
INT. SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT - FARINA - NIGHT
WIDEN TO INCLUDE Charlene, two cops and Marciano (very
nervous). Farina folds away from the window and sets down
the phone - off the hook. -
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FARINA
(to Charlene)
C'mon, sugar: show yourself
MARCIANO
(to Charlene)
Do it!
FARINA
(to Marciano)
Shut up!!
Marciano fades back. Charlene sits frozen to the spot.
It's as if the pressure had battered her into a stupefied
tranquillity.
FARINA
(continuing)
One second at the window. Then
it's all over...
CHARLENE
looks at Farina. She slowly
crosses to the window. Marciano
has faded to the back of the
room.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEY - CHRIS
looks up.
CHRIS POV: CHARLENE
looks down at Chris - deep into his eyes. She's disturbed.
She's unsure. Then she decides.
CHRIS
looking up into Charlene's open face from inside the
Lincoln. He starts to get out. Then he sees...
CHARLENE
And we TILT DOWN her body to her hand at her side. Her
hand subtly waves him away, gestures towards the roof.
INT. APARTMENT - REAR SHOT ON CHARLENE
CHARLENE
(irritated)
For Christ's sake...that's not
even him. That's not Chris.
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EXT. ALLEY - WIDE ON CHRIS
turns to basketball players.
CHRIS
(loud; tight)
Any of you guys know anything
for rent around here?
BASKETBALL PLAYER #1
Alberiz's grocery on Dell Avenue
got cards on the wall.
He dribbles and fakes a hook shot and passes. Chris starts
to look down the alley.
FARINA
(radio filter)
Unit two. This is command.
Take him at the street. Check
him out.
INT. APARTMENT - WIDE
UNIT TWO (V.O.)
(radio filter)
10-4.
Charlene crosses back to her chair. Farina stares at her
unsure. Marciano re-enters and paces idly.
MARCIANO
(worried)
Where the hell is he?
CHARLENE
(taunts him)
Maybe he's not coming.
MARCIANO
(explodes)
You better hope he shows! Or
you're going to the can, you two
dollar...
Farina grabs Marciano, spins and slams him into the wall.
FARINA
(shouts at cop)
Get him the hell out of here!
UNIT TWO (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Command.
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FARINA
(into radio)
Yeah?
UNIT TWO (V.O.)
(radio filter)
This guy's John Pearson. Valid
I.D. car's registered to one
Bukowski. Ran a make to DMV.
It's clean. So's the car.
FARINA
(into radio)
Let him go.
Farina clicks off the radio and picks up the phone.
FARINA
(continuing; to
Charlene)
Want a cup of coffee while we
wait, Mrs. Shiherlis?
CHARLENE
(sad smile)
That would be nice.
Farina dials. Charlene closes her eyes. it's like she
sees the gray institution of a women's prison. She shuts
her eyes tighter to make the vision go away. Tears start
flowing.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S OFFICE - HANNA - NIGHT
FARINA (V.O.)
(phone filter)
False alarm, Lieutenant.
Hanna hangs up. He dials another number. It rings.
CUT TO:
INT. HYATT HOUSE LOBBY - DESK CLERK - NIGHT
DESK CLERK/COP - in hotel blazer - answers the phone.
HANNA (V.O.)
(phone filter)
What's the score?
DESK CLERK/COP
(into phone)
On this Waingro?
(MORE)
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DESK CLERK/COP (CONT'D)
I just told Bosko. Zero.
Nothing's happening.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S OFFICE - HANNA
hangs up.
HANNA
You know what?
(beat)
Neil's gone. Bam! Flyin' like'
a bird.
BOSKO
(jumps up)
C'mon! How do you know? We
still got...
HANNA
What do we got?
(as if to Neil)
Bon voyage, motherfucker, you
were good.
(low)
I'm going to the hotel. I'm
gonna take a shower. I'm gonna
sleep for a month.
CUT TO:
EXT. POLICE PARKING L0T - HANNA - NIGHT
gets into his Olds with his TV set still on the front seat
and pulls out, laying rubber.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR - HANNA - NIGHT
stops sharply for a red light. The TV bounces against the
dash. Hanna looks at it. It's idiotic. He drops the car
into park, opens the passenger door.
WIDER - HANNA'S
foot comes up. He braces his back against the driver's
door and kicks the TV set out of the car.
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EXT. STREET - THE TV SET
SMASHES onto the pavement. Passengers at a bus stop stare
at Hanna. The light changes green. Hanna pulls away.
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN: HANNA'S ROOM WIDE - NIGHT
It's empty. Out the windows the mustard Hollywood glare
stays low into the building.
ANGLE - A SHADOWY FIGURE
surreptitiously moves through the room examining things.
It's a woman and in rear shot she is naked. We HEAR a key
in the lock. She turns: it is Lauren.
DOOR
opens. Hanna - disgusted - tips off his clothes and throws
them at the furniture. He turns on the shower and goes
in. He didn't see Lauren.
INT. SHOWER - HANNA
under the water, half opens his eyes and just stands there.
LAUREN'S BARE LEGS
enter the bathroom and quietly slide the shower curtain.
Hanna doesn't hear her.
HANNA + LAUREN
from the front. He's oblivious. She's behind him.
ANGLE
She does two things: she runs her hands across his stomach
and says:
LAUREN
...Daddy?
Hanna, terror-stricken, swings around and Lauren, screaming,
starts assaulting him.
WIDE
They slip in the tub and crash onto the bottom. Hanna can
barely restrain Lauren who has the strength of someone in
a psychotic episode.
CUT TO:
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EXT. CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL - BLACK AND WHITE - DAY
Code 3, pulls up and Justine runs out and sees:
JUSTINE'S POV: HANNA CARRYING LAUREN
out of a police ambulance wrapped in a towel like a baby.
His face is scratched and bleeding.
She struggles, but bent double in his arms, she's
immobilized. Attendants rush at them with a stretcher
with restraining belts. Hanna shoulders them aside and
races into emergency.
CUT TO:
INT. EMERGENCY CORRIDOR - TRACKING HANNA WITH LAUREN AS
JUSTINE - DAY
catches up.
HANNA
(to Lauren)
You're gonna be okay, baby.
Your mommy and me are here.
Everybody's here. We're going
to take care of you. We love
you...
Lauren relaxes in his arms, carried like a baby; and tears
stream down her face.
JUSTINE
one arm locked around Hanna - trying to see her daughter.
Then Lauren goes wild again and Hanna tightens.
ORDERLY
Let me take her.
HANNA
I got her.
DOCTOR
Watch her tongue!
HANNA
She's not epileptic! This isn't
a seizure.
DOCTOR
(to nurse)
5 mg of Thorazine.
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HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - HANNA + JUSTINE - LATER
his arm around her. She leans back against him.
HANNA
You okay, baby?
She shrugs. Then she moves closer to him and be pulls her
into his shoulder.
CUT TO:
INT - MERCEDES - NEIL + EADY - NIGHT
Neil drives. He's pensive. He sees the "Hyatt" sign.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Hey there, old aware ones, and
you, too, my fair ones ...
Neil KILLS THE RADIO.
EADY
What is it?
NEIL
(lies)
Nothing.
He turns the RADIO BACK ON.
RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Brought to you this fine day
which is A-okay!
The Mercedes is in the left. Suddenly Neil pulls across
three lanes and shoots up an offramp - fast. Neil checks
his watch.
NEIL
I got this errand to run that I
forgot.
EADY
The airport is right there. Is
there time?
NEIL
(continuing)
Sure. It's a thing I got to
take care of... is all.
CUT TO:
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EXT. HYATT HOUSE HOTEL - WIDE ON FRONT - NIGHT
A lot of traffic and lights. Neil drives the Mercedes
past the front and turns left at the corner into a dark
side street on the side of the hotel. He parks.
NEIL
(getting out)
Leave it running.
NEIL
crossing the street in his dark suit towards the hotel's
side entrance.
NEIL
...be right back, Eady.
He waves without looking.
EADY
(worried)
Neil...?
Some employees exit.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE - ON PAINTERS - NIGHT
Two house PAINTERS and all their gear are in an empty office
in front of a big picture window. Out the picture window
across the street is the Hyatt House. They're not painting.
They're playing gin on a cardboard box. Maybe they're on
their break.
CLOSE ON ONE PAINTER
He has a Nite vision light accumulater scope and looks
across at the hotel.
PAINTER ONE'S POV: STREET + MERCEDES
with Eady, exiting employees and Neil slips in the side
door.
PAINTER ONE
pans his scope up the hotel.
PAINTER TWO
What's going on?
PAINTER ONE
Nothing. He's watching TV.
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PAINTER ONE'S POV: ROOM 1403 + WAINGRO
across the way. He watches TV with his feet up.
PAINTERS
are police - Waingro's surveillance team.
PAINTER TWO
We going to finish this game or
what?
CUT TO:
INT. LOCKER ROOM - NEIL - NIGHT
crosses to a desk and red wall phone near some lockers.
The place is abandoned.
OPERATOR (V.O.)
(phone filter)
Hyatt House.
NEIL
(into phone; familiar)
Hi. It's the kitchen again.
A... "Jamieson" ordered a BLT
and they got his room number
screwed up.
OPERATOR (V.O.)
(phone filter)
They're always doing that.
(beat)
NEIL
(into phone)
Thanks, love.
Neil starts ransacking the lockers.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL - EADY - NIGHT
in the Mercedes. Waiting. She stares at something strange.
WIDEN: it's her hand. It spasms. She grabs onto the
steering wheel to make it stop.
CUT TO:
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HOTEL LOCKER ROOM - NEIL'S
found a Hyatt security uniform. He puts on the short jacket
and San Brown belt and hat.
CUT TO:
INT. HYATT HOUSE, LOBBY - SERVICE DOOR: NEIL - NIGHT
enters and crosses to the elevators. He glances to his
left.
NEIL'S POV: DESK CLERK
talks on his police radio. TILT DOWN. A 9mm. Beretta is
under the counter top.
NEIL
continues to the elevators. It says he KNOWS Waingro is a
trap. He knows the LAPD are here. He's come for him
anyway.
CUT TO:
INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - NEIL'S HAND - NIGHT
punches 14. PAN AROUND to Neil. The elevator rises. He
pulls his .45 and checks that there's a round in the
chamber. He slips it back into his waistband, cocked and
locked.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL, 14TH FLOOR ELEVATOR LOBBY - DOORS - NIGHT
slide open. Neil emerges. He does two things. He wedges
the ash tray to hold open the elevator door. Then, he
smashes the glass and sets off the fire alarm. Immediately
a SIREN SOUNDS. The building's elevators - except Neil's
descend. We HEAR:
PA (V.O.)
A fire has been reported. Please
leave your rooms now. Proceed
down marked fire exits. Use the
staircases. Do not use the
elevators. This is NOT a drill.
A fire...etc.
CUT TO:
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 148.
INT. APARTMENT - ON PAINTERS - NIGHT
PAINTER ONE
(still looking)
Yeah. Whyn't you call out for
pizza? Sausage, peppers,
onions...
(suddenly)
Hey.
PAINTER TWO
(ready)
What?
PAINTER ONE
That chick on the ninth floor
got naked and she's pressing
herself against the glass again.
PAINTER TWO
(crosses to window)
Let me see.
Painter One looks through the scope. He looks down at the
ninth floor and laughs. Then he looks away and sees
something else:
PAINTER TWO'S POV: ROOM
Waingro goes to a drawer, pulls out a gun and starts towards
the door.
PAINTER TWO (O.S.)
(shouts)
Oh, boy...!
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - HANNA WITH JUSTINE
OPERATOR (V.O.)
(PA system)
Lt. Hanna. Telephone. Lt. Hanna.
Hanna crosses to the nurse's station. TIGHTEN. He answers:
HANNA
(into phone)
Fuck McCauley. You handle it.
Call Bosko and Drucker in. Get
me at the hospital after.
JUSTINE
watching Hanna, heard the conversation.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 149.
HANNA
rejoins her and takes her hand. He looks at her and then
at the floor. He puts an around her.
JUSTINE
(really questioning)
...Will things change between
us?
HANNA
(beat)
I don't know...
(beat)
Probably not...
(beat)
...but I am reminded of how much
I love you. But that may not be
enough.
JUSTINE
(kisses him)
You have to go to work, don't
you?
HANNA
(touches her face)
Yeah.
As he's rising.
JUSTINE
Be careful, Vincent. Be very
careful...
(beat)
Let's keep on trying?
HANNA
walking backwards, facing her, nods "yes." The last thing
in the world he wants to do is leave. Then he turns and
starts running down the white marble corridor...
CUT TO:
INT. 14TH FLOOR CORRIDOR - NEIL - NIGHT
in the hotel security uniform approaches against the flow
of people leaving the floor. The emergency LIGHTING is on
and the PA fire alarm message still SOUNDS. Neil taps his
flashlight on the doors of 1404, 1405 and 1406 as well as
1403.
WAINGRO (O.S.)
Yeah?
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NEIL
I'm hotel security. We're
evacuating the floor.
WAINGRO (O.S.)
I can't leave.
NEIL
Sir, I'm afraid you'll have to.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM 1403 - WAINGRO - NIGHT
looks through the peep hole.
WAINGRO'S POV: NEIL'S BACK AND CORRIDOR
A few patrons exit past the uniformed Neil. It looks
legitimate.
CUT TO:
INT. 14TH FLOOR HALLWAY - DOOR TO 1403
opens silently, half-way.
NEIL
looks inside. Waingro's obviously hidden behind the door
WIDE
Neil kicks the door and...
INT. 1403 - DOOR
smashes into Waingro. Neil hits the door again and it
smashes into waingro a second time.
NEIL
reaches around, grabs Waingro by the arm, dislocates his
shoulder, breaks his collarbone and throws him across the
room. Waingro's gun goes flying.
WAINGRO
on the sofa, seeing Neil McCauley. He feels his internal
organs drop through the floor. He looks away.
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LOW + WIDE
NEIL
I should have dumped you in that
parking lot. Look at me, you
sick fuck.
Waingro won't look at Neil.
NEIL
(continuing)
Gimme your eyes. 'Cause you're
gonna die.
Waingro, pathetically, obeys and looks up. Neil's .45
EXPLODES TWICE.
CLOSER: NEIL
now looks out the window, searching.
NEIL'S POV: HIGH RISE ACROSS THE STREET + "PAINTER" TWO
staring at Neil through the Nite vision scope, disbelieving.
Neil sees "Painter" One is shouting into his police radio...
INT. 1403 - NEIL'S
surprised not at all. He expected the police. He turns
away from the window, looks once at Waingro and leaves the
room.
CUT TO:
INT. MERCEDES - EADY - NIGHT
twisted in her seat, trying to see, frightened by the noise
and sirens. WIDEN. An L.A.P.D. fire engine ROARS in.
Now an unmarked car skids into the driveway. Drucker,
Bosko and others spill out carrying shotguns. A black and
white parks perpendicular to the traffic flow and halts
cars. She's worried, confused.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM 1403 - WAINGRO - NIGHT
dead iN sitting position on the sofa with his head back as
if he fell asleep watching the football game.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNA'S UNMARKED CAR - HANNA - NIGHT
cruising scanning the streets. He's aggressively searching
for something.
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HANNA
(into radio)
Casals come in.
CASALS (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Vincent. I'm in the southeast
stairwell.
HANNA
(into radio)
What's the situation?
CASALS (V.O.)
(radio filter)
Three teams are moving up the
other three stairwells to the
14th floor. Elevators are out
of commission because of the
fire alarm. Surveillance said
McCauley looked right at 'em.
Didn't seem surprised.
HANNA
(into radio)
It means he knew we were here
and came anyway.
CASALS (V.O.)
(radio filter;
continuing)
I got two Special Weapons Teams
deployed at the front and back
exits. Choppers.
On their way. You want a command center in the...
HANNA
(into radio;
interrupts)
Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Stay
on it. 10-4.
For some reason Hanna's disinterested. He's moving down a
different track. He's cruising the streets looking for
something else.
HANNA'S POV: SIDE STREETS
adjoining the hotel are cluttered with emergency vehicles,
cars, pedestrians, on-lookers, service people from adjoining
buildings.
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HANNA
trying to see through, past, around everything. We don't
know what it is he's looking
HANNA'S POV: FIRE ENGINE, AMBULANCE, MERCEDES, BLACK AND
WHITE...
Then Hanna's P.O.V. PANS LEFT back to the Mercedes. The
woman waiting in the passenger seat. It is Eady. She's a
block down. A woman waiting...in a car...alone.
CLOSER: HANNA
It's what he was looking for.
EXT. STREET - WIDE
Hanna is out of the car in the jammed street, running
towards Eady and the Mercedes a block away.
EXT. HOTEL, SIDE DOOR - NEIL
emerges and APPROACHES CAMERA. In the foreground is Eady
in the Mercedes.
CLOSER: NEIL
calm, assured, approaches the car for the short drive to
the airport. Then, Neil senses and...
SIDE ANGLE: NEIL
turns and looks over his left shoulder.
NEIL'S POV: VINCENT HANNA
a half block away, running through vehicles and incoming
on-lookers right at him.
NEIL MCCAULEY
stops. He turns to Eady.
EADY
looks at him, quizzically.
HANNA
running towards Neil and Eady.
EADY
climbing out of the Mercedes, now, confused...
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NEIL
starting to leave, moving at an oblique angle. Looking at
her ... leaving her ...
EADY
next to the Mercedes. Shouting at Neil. We can't hear
what she says. SIRENS and NOISE of an ambulance.
HANNA
AMBULANCE pulls in front of him, blocks him. He's around
it, pushing a news crew out of the way, stops.
MERCEDES WITH EADY
in the street. Alone. No Neil.
HANNA
spins around, searching.
HIGH + WIDE: HANNA
in the sea of people and vehicles, crossing drivewaYs and
landscaping. Hanna - against the tide - moving away from
the crime scene and police barricades to neighboring
buildings.
FRONTAL: HANNA
through the crowd, searching. People pushed aside so he
can see. Then...
HANNA POV: THROUGH OFFICE BUILDING LOBBY TO REAR PARKING
LOT
A figure is running between cars. Beyond are the lights
of an L1011 ten feet off the ground about to touch down.
CUT TO:
EXT. RUNWAY APRON - L1011 - NIGHT
ROARING through the frame. Reveal Neil jumping a fence
and running across the grass between power units and the
racks of lights strobing their arrow sequence at the head
of the runway. Beyond is Sepulveda Boulevard and normal
traffic.
NEIL
running towards us.
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EXT. RUNWAY - L1011
it's landing gear down, its lights blasting into the lens
fills the frame as it descends to the runway. It wipes
out the strobe racks in a chaotic blast of xenon.
EXT. RUNWAY APRON - LONG SHOT:
HANNA
runs across the grass between the fence to the strobe
lights.
CLOSER: HANNA
among the structures housing the ballasts for the lights.
The ROAR of a 757's 95,000 lbs. of thrust beats an him.
He spins to protect his face. His clothes and hair are
whipped. As he runs to us ...
CLOSER: HANNA
looks up..
HANNA POV: UP INTO LIGHTS SEARCHING FOR NEIL. SUDDENLY:
NEIL (SLO MO)
is there. His .45 is up, centered into Hanna's face.
He's eight feet away, framed against the glaring racks of
strobes.
NEIL'S HAND (SLO MO)
squeezing the trigger, both eyes over the front sight,
moving laterally on target through the liquid air and
lights...
NEIL'S .45 (SLO MO)
as the trigger's squeezed and the sear's released and...
MACRO: THE .45's HAMMER (SLO MO) falling.
HANNA (SLO MO)
coming up with his 9mn. He's too late...
NEIL
The hammer drops. Nothing. His .45 misfires.
HANNA (SLO MO)
His 9mm. coming up...
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NEIL'S HAND (SLO MO)
swipes across the .45's slide.
MACRO: THE BREECH OF NEIL'S .45 (SLO MO)
The misfired round, ejected and spinning away. The new
round, moving forward, the slide returning to battery...
HANNA
FIRES THREE perfectly controlled, hammered-on SHOTS. His
front sight barely moved.
NEIL
HIT THREE TIMES in the chest - is blown back into the racks
of lights. He lies still.
HANNA
approaches, slowly. His gun hand drops to his side.
WIDE: NEIL + HANNA
Neil's on the ground, his back against the rack. One arm
is in his lap. The other is flung over the top bar of the
strobe rack. Neil looks at Hanna and gestures with his
hand. Hanna takes it. Neil holds on tight.
NEIL
last breath.
NEIL
...not half bad.
HANNA
...pretty good your own self.
Then Neil's eyes dim. And he dies.
LONG REAR SHOT: HANNA + NEIL
Neil's head has fallen onto his shoulder. Hanna still
grips his hand and looks down the runway into the west at
the lines of blue runway lights like rivers. The two of
them stay there like that.
THE END
BODY HEAT
An Original Screenplay
by
Lawrence Kasdan
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
THIRD DRAFT
October 6, 1980
Converted to PDF by SCREENTALK
www.screentalk.org
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 1.
FADE IN:
EXT. NIGHT SKY
Flames in the night sky. Distant SIRENS. PULLING BACK,
we see that the burning building is mostly hidden by dense,
black shapes that define the oceanside skyline of Miranda
Beach, Florida. We're watching from across town. The
sound of a bathroom SHOWER comes to a dripping stop at
about the same time we see the naked back and head of NED
RACINE. We continue to PULL BACK INTO --
RACINE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Racine, dressed in undershorts, is standing on the small
porch off his apartment on the upper floor of an old house.
Racine lights a cigarette and continues to stare off at
the fire. We've passed him now, into the bedroom of the
apartment, and the shape of a young woman, ANGELA, flashes
by, drying her body with a towel.
ANGELA (O.S.)
My God, it's hot. I stepped out of
the shower and stared sweating again.
... It's still burning? Jesus, it's
bigger! And I thought you were making
me hear those sirens.
(she giggles)
What is it?
RACINE
The Seawater Inn. My family used to
eat dinner there twenty-five years
ago. Now somebody's torched it to
clear the lot.
Angela reappears briefly, gathering her clothes. She
sits on an unseen bed to get dressed.
ANGELA (O.S.)
That's a shame.
RACINE
Probably one of my clients.
ANGELA (O.S.)
I'm leaving.
RACINE
(back still turned)
It's four a.m.
On the bed, Angela snaps on her bra.
ANGELA
I go on duty at Miami Airport at
seven.
(MORE)
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ANGELA (CONT'D)
I wouldn't mind having breakfast...
What do you care? You're watching
the fire. You're done with me. I'm
just getting into my uniform here...
She is, in fact, slipping on the blouse of her Avis Rent-
a-Car uniform. There's a smile on her lips as she buttons
up, watching Racine.
ANGELA
You've had your fun. You're spent.
(trying for a
straight face)
I'll just slip into my uniform here
and slip away.
RACINE
My history's burning up out here.
ANGELA
Hey, I don't mind. I'm leaving.
Why do they make these damn skirts
so hard to zip...
Now, for the first time, Racine turns to look at her.
She is sitting on the edge of the bed, half into her
uniform. Racine smiles broadly at the sight and moves
into the room. He pushes her back and they both disappear
from sight, fabric rustling.
RACINE
Where's your hat?
ANGELA (O.S.)
Hey... hey...
(giggling)
... don't wrinkle it!
RACINE (O.S.)
'You're spent.' Where'd you hear
that?
We are left looking out over the porch at the night. And
we go back there, across the rooftops, to the flames.
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
An Assistant County Prosecutor named PETER LOWENSTEIN has
been conferring at the bench with JUDGE COSTANZA and now
they both wait as Racine comes into view to join them.
The Judge is irritated.
JUDGE COSTANZA
Mr. Racine, I do no longer care
whether these alleged toilets were
(MORE)
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JUDGE COSTANZA (CONT'D)
ever actually en route from Indiana
or not. I think we're wasting our
time here. It's pretty clear your
client has attempted to defraud the
county in a not very ingenious manner.
(he nods at
Lowenstein)
The Assistant Prosecutor has made
what I consider a generous offer.
And given that you've failed to
generate even the semblance of a
defense --
RACINE
Judge Costanza, perhaps when I've
presented all --
JUDGE COSTANZA
Yeah, yeah. If I were you, I'd
recommend to your client that held
quickly do as Mr. Lowenstein here
has suggested -- plead nolo
contendre, file Chapter Eleven and
agree never to do business with
Okeelanta County again.
Racine is surprised and pleased.
RACINE
You would look favorably on that?
JUDGE COSTANZA
(nods)
He can walk. But don't test my
patience for even five more minutes.
If he hesitates, I'll nail him.
RACINE
I'll talk to him.
Racine starts to turn.
JUDGE COSTANZA
Mr. Racine. Next time you come into
my courtroom I hope you've got either
a better defense or a better class
of client.
Lowenstein smiles.
RACINE
Thank you, Your Honor.
Racine goes back to his client, a Businessman of enormous
confidence and extravagantly untrustworthy appearance.
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INT. STELLA'S COFFEE SHOP - FIRST STREET - DAY
Racine and Lowenstein are seated at the counter. Racine
drinks beer while Lowenstein drinks a tall iced tea very
rapidly and signals for another. This place is across
the street from the courthouse/police station and there
are plenty of lawyers and cops around, several of whom
acknowledge Lowenstein and Racine with pats or nods.
A single unit air conditioner is blowing away above the
door, but it can't compete with the blasts of hot air
that come in with each new patron. All of these people,
like the pedestrians outside the window, have stripped
down to essentials In the infernal heat. The lawyers all
carry their Jackets, but even so their shirtsleeves are
sweaty. The town is sizzling.
LOWENSTEIN
-- I think I've underestimated you,
Ned. I don't know why it took me so
long. You've started using your
incompetence as a weapon.
RACINE
(smiles)
My defense was evolving. You guys
got scared. Costanza doesn't like
me. What'd I do to him?
LOWENSTEIN
He's an unhappy man, Thinks he should
be Circuit Court by now. Here he is
in a state with really top-notch
corruption and he's stuck with the
county toilets.
(he drinks)
I'm surprised you weren't in on that
toilet caper. Could have been that
quick score you've always been
searching for.
RACINE
Maybe Costanza was in on it. That's
why he was mad.
STELLA, the owner of the coffee shop, writes and places
separate checks in front of the two men.
STELLA
What's the word from the hallowed
halls of justice? Anything juicy?
LOWENSTEIN
Maybe Stella was in on it.
(finished his tea)
Stella, when you gonna get a real
air conditioner in here.
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STELLA
You don't like it there's lots of
other places.
LOWENSTEIN
They don't have you. Gotta go.
He stands fishing for change, but Racine takes his check
and places it with his own. Lowenstein nods and moves for
the door.
LOWENSTEIN
You can't buy me. No sirree, I don't
come cheap.
Just before he reaches the door he does a strange thing --
he takes several graceful dance steps in the Astaire
manner.
A VOICE
Lowenstein, you're a fag.
Lowenstein spins out the door, where he is blasted by the
heavy air. His body droops as he disappears.
STELLA
Why does he do that?
RACINE
He's pretty good, that's the weird
part.
STELLA
Did you hear about Dr. Block?
RACINE
No. Do I want to?
STELLA
(leans toward him,
confidential)
Agnes Marshall.
RACINE
(the thought
disgusts him)
That must have been Mrs. Block's
idea, some kind of punishment.
STELLA
It was! How'd you know? Christ,
you're plugged in better than me.
So you must know about Mrs. Block's
friend in Ocean Grove.
Racine winces, gets up, and puts money on the counter.
He lights a cigarette.
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RACINE
Stella, this is beneath even you.
Things must be slow.
Stella agrees with a shrug as Racine heads for the door.
STELLA
It's the heat.
EXT. FIRST STREET AND MAIN STREET - DAY
Racine makes his way up First to the corner of Main and
crosses diagonally to his building on Main. He is well-
known here, greeted through glass by many of the shop
owners. The heat dominates much of the pantomimed
conversation. Racine goes in a doorway and heads up the
stairs to his office.
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine's secretary, BEVERLY, is behind the desk in the
modest reception room. She's a pretty girl barely past
twenty. She pushes some phone message slips toward Racine
and nods toward the sofa. A middle-aged woman client,
MRS. SINGER, sits there clutching a walking stick. Her
face suddenly is contorted in pain. Racine glances
meaningfully at Beverly then turns his full solicitous
charm on Mrs. Singer.
RACINE
Mrs. Singer, I would have gladly
come to the house.
He helps her up and leads her slowly to his office.
MRS. SINGER
No. no, the doctor says I should
walk and I had some shopping. Not
that that quack knows what he's
talking about. I tell you, Mr.
Racine, I'm not sure his testimony
is going to be very useful.
RACINE
Don't worry about it. I'll find you
a doctor who's more understanding.
Is it bad today?
MRS. SINGER
Oooh, you can't imagine. Nothing
can make up for the pain they've
caused me.
RACINE
How well I know. We'll sue those
reckless bastards dry. Excuse my
language.
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As Mrs. Singer disappears into the office, Racine flashes
a grin at Beverly.
MRS. SINGER
Don't apologize. That's the kind of
attitude you've got to have these
days...
EXT. THE BEACHFRONT - NIGHT
The hottest January in fifty years has brought the crowds
to the beach in search of relief. But they've been
disappointed. Even the breeze off the ocean seems blown
from a hair dryer. Still, the nights are a trifle better
and the Beachfront, the penny arcades, the ice cream stands
and bars are busy, even now in the middle of the week.
Racine comes out of a bar and lights a cigarette, idly
watching the passing parade. There is a free band concert
in progress at the band shell. Racine wanders in that
direction.
EXT. THE BAND SHELL - NIGHT
The Miranda Beach High School Orchestra is playing to a
full, sweating house; the audience is a sea of orange
programs fluttering away as fans. People come and go
frequently.
The atmosphere is as innocent and informal as the music
the band is playing now.
Racine leans against the back rail, smoking, his eyes
playing over the scene with no expectations.
Then, down near the center aisle, a WOMAN rises. As the
band plays on, this extraordinary, beautiful woman, in a
simple white dress, moves down the aisle. She moves
wonderfully. The dress clings to her body in the heat.
Racine watches, mesmerized, as she walks directly toward
him. She passes within a few inches of him, her eyes
lowered. Racine's body sways a moment as she goes by, as
though buffeted by some force. But they do not touch.
She goes out onto the Beachfront walkway.
EXT. THE BEACHFRONT WALKWAY - NIGHT
The Woman, MATTY, has walked to the rail. She stands
there now lighting a cigarette. She presents her face
to the ocean, hoping for a breeze. We move in on her,
with Racine.
Racine lights a new cigarette and smiles at her. She
looks at him and, for an instant, her eyes race over his
body, then she looks back at the ocean.
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RACINE
You can stand here with me if you
want, but you'll have to agree not
to talk about the heat.
She looks at him, and there is something startling about
the directness of her gaze. When she speaks, she is cool
without being hostile.
MATTY
I'm a married woman.
RACINE
Meaning what?
MATTY
Meaning I'm not looking for company.
She turns back toward the ocean.
RACINE
Then you should have said -- 'I'm a
happily married woman.'
MATTY
That's my business.
RACINE
What?
MATTY
How happy I am.
RACINE
And how, happy is that?
She looks at him curiously. She begins walking slowly
along the rail. He walks too.
MATTY
You're not too smart, are you?
Racine shakes his head "no."
MATTY
I like that in a man.
RACINE
What else you like -- Ugly? Lazy?
Horny? I got 'em all.
MATTY
You don't look lazy.
Racine smiles.
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MATTY
Tell me, does chat like that work
with most women?
RACINE
Some. If they haven't been around
much.
MATTY
I wondered. Thought maybe I was out
of touch.
She stops again at the rail as a small breeze blows in
from the ocean. She turns her back to it and, with her
cigarette dangling from her lips, she uses both hands to
lift her hair up off her nape. She closes her eyes as
the air hits her. Racine watches very closely.
RACINE
How 'bout I buy you a drink?
MATTY
I told you. I've got a husband.
RACINE
I'll buy him one too.
MATTY
He's out of town.
RACINE
My favorite kind. We'll drink to
him.
MATTY
He only comes up on the weekends.
Matty lets her hair fall and again begins moving down
walkway. She drops her cigarette and steps on it.
RACINE
I'm liking him better all the time.
You better take me up on this quick.
In another forty-five minutes I'm
going to give up and walk away.
MATTY
You want to buy me something? I'll
take one of these.
They have come upon a Vendor selling snow cones.
RACINE
What kind?
MATTY
Cherry.
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RACINE
(to Vendor)
Make it two.
The Vendor scoops and pours as Racine lays some change on
the cart.
RACINE
(to Matty)
You're not staying in Miranda Beach.
(she shakes her
head "no")
I would have noticed you.
MATTY
Is this town that small?
Racine hands her a snow cone. They walk over to the rail.
Racine watches her eat the snow cone with enormous
interest.
RACINE
Pinehaven. You're staying up in
Pinehaven, on the waterway.
(she gives him a
look, surprised)
You have a house.
MATTY
How'd you know?
RACINE
You look like Pinehaven.
MATTY
How does Pinehaven look?
RACINE
Well tended.
She looks out at the ocean.
MATTY
Yes, I'm well tended, all right.
Well tended. What about you?
RACINE
Me? I need tending. I need someone
to take care of me. Rub my tired
muscles. Smooth out my sheets.
MATTY
Get married.
RACINE
I just need it for tonight.
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For the first time, Matty laughs. A moment later, she
spills the snow cone over the front of her dress. It
makes a bright red stain against the white. The thin
material clings to the line of her breast.
MATTY
Good. Nice move, Matty.
RACINE
Matty. I like it. Right over your
heart.
MATTY
At least it's cool. I'm burning up.
RACINE
I asked you not to talk about the
heat.
MATTY
Would you get me a paper towel or
something? Dip it in some cold water.
Racine starts toward the restroom nearby.
RACINE
Right away. I'll even wipe it off
for you.
MATTY
You don't want to lick it?
This causes a momentary hitch in Racine's retreat, but
then he hurries off.
INT. MEN'S ROOM
Racine comes in, snaps some paper towels from the rack
and turns on the water. The room is full of smoke. A
fifteen-year-old Boy is leaning against the wall. After
looking Racine over a second, he brings the smoking joint
he's been holding behind his back into view and takes a
toke. He nods at Racine, who nods back and stands up
with his wet towels. As he walks out, Racine takes a
deep breath.
EXT. THE BEACHFRONT - NIGHT
Racine comes out of the structure. And stops. Matty is
gone. Racine looks around without much hope. Finally,
he puts a wet paper towel to the back of his neck. We
begin to HEAR a strange, measured thumping, and then --
EXT. THE BOARDWALK (82ND STREET) - DAWN
Racine is running. The THUMPING is the sound of Racine's
battered running shoes hitting the weathered wooden planks
of the Boardwalk.
Converted to PDF by www.screentalk.org 12.
Racine wears old gym shorts and a torn tee-shirt with
"F.S.U." fading from the front. The raised wooden walk
works its crooked way through lush, tropical vegetation,
first coming close to the wide, white beach, then jutting
back inland, swallowed by greenery, then shooting out
again toward the sea. Racine hits this last stretch at
top speed and launches himself flying out onto the gleaming
sand.
EXT. BEACH - DAWN
Racine is running on the sand now, on a raised, hardened
section that bisects the beach. His shoes make a weird
whooshing SOUND each time they break the compacted surface
and sink an inch below. The sun is just rising from the
ocean to his right, yet the day is already broiling.
Racine's shirt is drenched. The WHOOSHING is hypnotic,
steady; his expression indicates that it is just this
sound which keeps him going.
EXT. THE BAND SHELL/THE BEACH - DAY
Further on, Racine runs by the Band Shell where he'd seen
Matty.
EXT. THE PIER - DAY
The THUMPING returns, as Racine runs the long, straight
pier directly out to sea, toward the rising sun. A
lifeguard boat with an outboard motor is on the left of
the pier. Racine watches it as he runs until it disappears
beneath him, then reappears on his right and turns out to
sea, so that it is running beside him. Racine speeds up,
really kicking, racing the boat to the end of the pier.
The Lifeguard on board isn't even aware of Racine, but he
beats the runner nonetheless, then veers off to continue
his business.
Racine pulls up, breathing hard. He walks it off a bit,
watching the boat, then turns and starts walking back
along the pier. He reaches into the waistband of his
shorts and takes out a pack of cigarettes.
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine is behind the desk. Occupying the two seats in
front are a married couple rapidly approaching divorce.
They are arguing now, each trying to convince Racine of
their view. Racine nods occasionally, looking from one
to the other. But he is also looking between them, through
the open door out to the reception room, where his
secretary Beverly is kneeling before the lowest drawer of
a filing cabinet. Her back is turned and her jeans are
tight across the bottom. There's nothing especially
provocative about her pose. She's just there. Working
away.
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Racine walks across his office and closes the door. He
goes back to his seat. The couple continues.
EXT. THE BAND SHELL - NIGHT
Another concert going on, a trio of musicians. Racine
moves down the sidewalk away from the audience. He looks
around as he lights a cigarette. She is nowhere in sight.
Racine opens the door to his car, a nicked-up red '64
Stingray.
EXT. PINEHAVEN - DAY
Racine drives past a neat sign --
"You are entering
PINEHAVEN
Please drive carefully"
There's money here. Many of the homes are not visible
from the street -- only their gates announce their
presence. Those that can be seen are sprawling and lavish.
The Waterway appears to the left. A large white yacht
cruises slowly by.
INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Racine sits in bed smoking a cigarette. At the mirror, a
Nurse in a fresh white uniform steps into her white shoes
and begins attaching her cap with bobby pins.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - PINEHAVEN - NIGHT
Dark. Almost classy. The place is half full. Matty is
drinking at the end of the bar, her cigarettes next to
her glass. The bar chairs near her are empty.
Racine comes in, looks around, walks over and sits in the
seat next to her. She looks up, surprised.
MATTY
Look who's here. Isn't this a
coincidence?
Racine looks at her, almost as though he can't place her.
But he doesn't push that effect hard. He lights a
cigarette.
RACINE
I know you.
MATTY
You're the one that doesn't want to
talk about the heat. Too bad. I'd
tell you about my chimes.
RACINE
What about them?
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MATTY
The wind chimes on my porch. They
keep ringing and I go out there
expecting a cool breeze. That's
what they've always meant. But not
this summer, This summer it's just
hot air.
RACINE
Do I remind you of hot air?
The Bartender has come up.
RACINE
Bourbon, any kind, on the rocks.
(to Matty)
Another?
She thinks, then nods her agreement. The Bartender moves
away.
MATTY
What are you doing in Pinehaven?
RACINE
I'm no yokel. Why, I was all the
way to Miami once.
MATTY
There are some men, once they get a
whiff of it, they'll trail you like
a hound.
The Bartender brings their drinks and leaves.
RACINE
I'm not that eager.
MATTY
What is your name, anyway?
RACINE
(offers his hand)
Ned Racine.
MATTY
Matty Walker.
She takes his hand and shakes it. Racine reacts strangely
to her touch and doesn't let go right away. She gently
frees it, then refers to his look as she picks up her
drink --
RACINE
Are you all right?
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MATTY
(laughs)
Yes. My temperature runs a couple
degrees high. Around 100 all the
time I don't mind it. It's the engine
or something.
RACINE
Maybe you need a tune-up.
MATTY
Don't tell me -- you have just the
right tool.
RACINE
I don't talk that way.
MATTY
How'd you find me, Ned?
Racine gives her a look.
RACINE
This is the only joint in Pinehaven.
MATTY
How'd you know I drink?
RACINE
You seemed like a woman with all the
vices.
MATTY
(smiles)
You shouldn't have come. You're
going to be disappointed.
Racine looks out over his drink. Several of the Men in
the place are looking at them.
RACINE
(referring to the
men)
What'd I do?
MATTY
(indicating Racine's
chair)
A lot of them have tried that seat.
You're the first one I've let stay.
RACINE
(spotting a few
more)
You must come here a lot.
MATTY
Most men are little boys.
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RACINE
Maybe you should drink at home.
MATTY
Too quiet.
RACINE
Maybe you shouldn't dress like that.
MATTY
This is a blouse and a skirt. I
don't know what you're talking about.
RACINE
You shouldn't wear that body.
Natty leans back in her seat and glances down at herself.
She's magnificent.
MATTY
I don't like my body much. It's
never been right.
Racine has been looking at her body too. With her line,
he just laughs. Matty watches him, then leans over her
drink. Her tone is different.
MATTY
Sometimes, I don't know. I get so
sick of everything, I'm not sure I
care anymore. Do you know what I
mean, Ned?
RACINE
(he's not sure)
I know that sometimes the shit comes
down SO heavy I feel like I should
wear a hat.
Matty laughs, studies him.
MATTY
Yeah, that's what I mean.
Ratty drains her glass and stubs out her cigarette.
MATTY
I think I'll get out of here now.
I'm going home.
RACINE
I'll take you.
MATTY
I have a car.
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RACINE
I'll follow you. I want to see the
chimes.
MATTY
You want to see the chimes.
RACINE
I want to hear them.
She looks at him a long time.
MATTY
That's all. If I let you, that's
all.
RACINE
(gestures his
innocence)
I'm not looking for trouble.
MATTY
(very serious)
I mean it. I like you. But my life
is complicated enough.
Racine again accepts.
MATTY
This is my community bar. I might
have to come here with my husband
some time. Would you leave before
me? Wait in your car? I know it
seems silly...
RACINE
I don't know who we're going to fool.
You've been pretty friendly.
She gives him a look and then slaps him hard! Everyone
turns toward them.
MATTY
(steadily)
Now leave me alone.
She stands up, takes her purse and her cigarettes, and
walks to the other end of the bar, where she sits down.
Racine watches her with amazed eyes. He stands up and
throws some money on the bar.
RACINE
(angry)
Lady, you must be some kind of crazy!
He stalks out of the bar.
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INT. RACINE'S CAR - NIGHT
CLOSE on his face as he drives. His look is intense,
expectant. He's feeling lucky as he watches up ahead.
RACINE'S POV out the windshield. Matty's shiny Mercedes
450 SEL is gliding down the road ahead of him. She puts
on the blinker, slows and turns into a gated drive. The
drive is canopied by heavy trees, the vegetation crowding
the road with a primeval lushness. The headlights create
sinuous welcoming shadows. It is as though Racine were
entering some separate, parallel, jungle world. Eventually
the house comes into view.
RACINE (O.S.)
Jesus.
Matty's car swings around in the parking area and stops.
Racine pulls the Stingray up next to it, facing the other
way. He watches Matty slide her long legs out of the
car. She glances at Racine and for an instant there is a
hint of self-consciousness under the weight of his gaze.
We begin to HEAR the soft tinkling of chimes.
EXT. THE WALKER HOUSE - FRONT TERRACE - NIGHT
Racine follows closely behind Matty as they go up the
stairs. At the door, Matty turns suddenly and looks at
Racine.
MATTY
Remember your promise.
Racine agrees. Matty looks him over a moment, then turns
to unlock the door.
INT. ENTRY HALL/SECOND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT
Matty comes in and puts her purse on a hall table as Racine
moves forward to look around. Despite the night gloom,
it's clear the place is expensively decorated in a manner
entirely consistent with the exterior of the house. Fine
antiques, carefully chosen fabrics, and a meticulous
selection of accessories have given the place the look of
an affluent home of Thirties America. And yet the overall
effect is almost contemporary, so burnished are the woods,
so fresh all the elements. It works.
RACINE
Just like my place.
Matty gives him a searching look, then leads him up the
stairs, flipping on only an occasional light in their
path. In the second floor hall, Matty moves to the front
of the house. Racine glances into the gloom that hides
Matty's bedroom.
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RACINE
No help?
MATTY
She goes home nights.
RACINE
You're not nervous alone?
Matty pauses at the doors to the porch, unlocking them,
and looks at Racine as though she barely understands the
question.
MATTY
No.
EXT. SECOND FLOOR PORCH - NIGHT
The TINKLING is distinct out here. Matty and Racine come
out onto the porch. There are about thirty wind chimes
of various, lovely designs -- crystal, metal, wood hanging
at intervals from the rim of the wide porch awning,
completely encircling Matty and Racine.
Halfway down the long lawn is a white gazebo. Beyond it,
the waterway is shimmering in the moonlight. At the edge
of the water is a small boat house.
Racine walks along under the chimes, looking up at them.
A smile plays across her face. He looks back at Matty,
RACINE
You do have chimes.
He looks out at the boat house.
RACINE
What's that?
MATTY
A gazebo
RACINE
No, out there.
MATTY
Boat house.
RACINE
What is in there?
MATTY
Boat.
Racine moves back and stands very close to her. He looks
at her in the moonlight, but she concentrates on the
distant water.
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MATTY
It's a mess. There's a row boat, a
lot of lounge chairs... things like
that.
Racine puts his hand up under her hair, on her nape. She
closes her eyes at his touch, then moves away, as though
by an act, of will, to the door, half opening it.
MATTY
I think you should go now.
RACINE
I just got here.
MATTY
You've seen them. Please go.
Racine steps toward her, but she ducks inside and moves
through the intermittent light of the hall and down the
steps. Racine follows her.
INT. ENTRY HALL
Matty stops at the entry hall, leaning against the wall.
RACINE
You didn't bring me here to see your
wind chimes.
He puts an arm on each side of her, caging her against
the wall. She looks up at him.
MATTY
Yes, I did. I said what I meant.
Do you ever do that?
RACINE
No. not very often.
He kisses her light on the forehead. Again she reacts,
but fights it.
RACINE
I don't think you want me to go.
MATTY
Yes... Please.
He kisses her lightly on the nose.
RACINE
There's nothing to be afraid of.
MATTY
There is for me.
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Matty slips under his arms and quickly steps out the front
door. She stands just outside watching him. Racine shakes
his head, goes out there.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - NIGHT
Racine stops next to Matty. She doesn't move away.
MATTY
Thank you. I'm sorry, I shouldn't
have lot you come.
Racine looks at her a long time.
RACINE
You're not so tough after all, are
you?
MATTY
No... I'm weak.
She kisses him on the lips and steps quickly inside the
front door. She closes it, looks through the window at
him, then moves away.
EXT. PARKING AREA - NIGHT
Racine stands looking at the door a few moments. Then he
walks to his car. Again he stops. He looks back at the
house. The wind picks up a bit and the TINKLING of the
wind chimes gets louder. And then louder.
Racine goes back up onto the porch fast. He goes to the
front door and looks through the window.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - NIGHT
RACINE'S POV. Matty is standing at the bottom of the
stairs in the hall. She is looking directly at the front
door. Frozen in the spot.
Racine tries the door. It's locked. He shakes it hard,
but it's solid. He looks to his left. There are windows
down the wall there. He moves to them. They go into the
living room but their shutters are closed. He looks
through a broken slat at Matty, who watches him from the
same spot, through the living room door. Racine tries
them. They won't budge. Racine moves to his right past
the front door, to the windows off the dining room. He
pushes at them as his eyes lock with Matty, who watches
from the hall. The windows won't move, Racine spins and
picks up the nearest object, a wooden rocking chair. He
lifts it, turns and smashes the big window. Glass showers
into the dining room.
Matty watches. She hasn't moved.
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Racine pushes the broken window out of his way. He comes
in, like a violent gust of wind.
INT. HALL
Racine crosses the dark living room fast. As he reaches
Matty, she lifts her arms to match his embrace. They
come together hard and tight. They kiss. And kiss again.
Her hands travel over his body, as though she's wanted
them there for a long time.
They turn once slowly along the wall, into the dimness of
the central hall. Then he rotates her body away from
him, holding her close.
MATTY
Yes, yes...
Then she is just nodding. Racine puts his face deep into
her hair, closing his eyes as the smell of her washes
over him.
Matty turns in his arms and kisses him hard. Racine pulls
her close to him and they sink to the floor.
RACINE
That's right... that's right.
CLOSE ON Matty's face, a look that might be anguish. She
bites her lip in expectation. Racine moves over her.
MATTY
Please, please ...
She pulls him tightly to her, clinging like a drowning
woman.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Racine and Matty lie under a sheet on her big bed. Her
eyes are closed. There are more wind chimes on the second
floor of the verandah, which is off this room, and Racine
is listening to their TINKLING. Racine looks over in
that direction.
RACINE'S POV. The moonlit, sheer white curtains on the
window roil to a light breeze. Racine's gaze travels
over the luxurious bedroom; here too, it is in the Thirties
style. Their clothes are haphazardly thrown across a
divan and on the floor nearby. A delicate fern sways in
the wind. Finally, he is looking at a lovely writing
desk against the far wall. Some tissue-thin stationery
flaps in the breeze, kept in place by the weight of a
pen. Then, as he looks, the paper stops flapping and the
chimes gradually STOP TINKLING. Racine looks toward the
window. It is still open, but the air had died.
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The curtains hang still.
Racine's face. The world has stopped.
MATTY (O.S.)
(softly)
I didn't want this to happen. But I
didn't try hard enough to stop it...
Because I wanted you. I wanted you
here, like this ... This is bad for
me. I know it. Now nothing's going
to be the same anymore.
FROM ABOVE THEM, we see them framed by the bed.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Near the front gate of the Walker place, a heavyset, middle-
aged woman, BETTY, THE WALKER'S HOUSEKEEPER, has been
waiting on a bus stop bench. Now she lifts her tired
body to board a public bus.
Down the Street, just around a corner, Racine watches her
go. He puts the Stingray in gear and drives to the
Walkers.
EXT. WALKERS' BOAT HOUSE - SUNSET
Lights are going on across the waterway, sending shimmers
toward the boat house.
INT. WALKERS' BOAT HOUSE - SUNSET
We're looking out a dusty window at the waterway. We
HEAR Racine and Matty disentangle and roll apart o.s.,
Racine grunting his exhaustion. After a moment, Racine
rises up into frame, looking happy. He looks down to
where he was and rests against the wall.
RACINE
I like this place. It's got a nice
feel.
MATTY (O.S.)
You were on top.
RACINE
So it could use a better mattress.
See to it, will you?
MATTY (O.S.)
Yes sir.
Racine turns and stares out at the ocean. Matty rises up
behind and hugs him from the back. She kisses his shoulder
blades and presses her cheek against his spine.
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RACINE
(reacting)
Hey, gimme a break here. It takes a
little while.
MATTY
(ignoring him,
laughs)
It's your fault.
RACINE
(smiling)
It takes me a good thirty seconds.
MATTY
Are you sure? I just want to make
sure here.
She pulls him down.
On the lounge cushions that are spread across the floor,
Matty rolls on top of Racine. Racine reacts with
exaggerated pain to the roughness of the cushions.
RACINE
Jesus, I think you're right --
(he rolls over her)
-- you better be on the bottom.
MATTY
No, you misunderstood --
(she rolls over
him)
-- this is my new saddle, and I just
want to --
RACINE
Wow! No, I must object --
Laughing, they roll again and we're on Racine's face as
we:
CUT TO:
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Racine's face; he is still rolling, but he is alone. He
has just rolled off the bed. He lies there like a dead
man.
RACINE
(finally, breathless)
Enough.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT
Racine is at the sink, having just washed his tired face.
He opens the medicine cabinet and looks at all the
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toiletries of Matty's husband. He selects a cologne, is
impressed by its expensive look, and slaps a little on
his jaw. He doesn't like the smell. He closes the cabinet
and moves back into the bedroom.
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Matty, wrapped in a thin white terrycloth robe, is
stripping the bed of its sheets. Racine watches from
across the room.
RACINE
What are you doing?
MATTY
I've got to wash these.
RACINE
You're afraid of your maid?
MATTY
That's right. My mother told me
"knowledge is power."
RACINE
This is an interesting interpretation.
Is that why you've started smoking
my brand?
Matty straightens with an armload of sheets.
MATTY
No one must know. Promise me, Ned.
No one.
He promise with a gesture.
INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT - DAWN
Racine comes in, beat. He throws his jacket across a
chair. Out the windows to the porch, the sun is rising
out of the Atlantic. Racine goes there and closes the
curtains. In the gloom he walks to his bed and sits on
the edge, kicking off his shoes. He picks up his alarm
clock and begins setting it.
EXT. WALKER HOUSE - LAWN/GAZEBO - NIGHT
Racine has just parked his car and is walking back across
the lawn. Matty is standing in the gazebo, her back
turned, looking out at the Waterway.
She is dressed in white and from here she looks very much
as she did when they first met. There are wind chimes
hanging from the gazebo.
RACINE
Hey, lady, wanna make love?
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The lady in question turns around, surprised. It is not
Matty at all. It is MARY ANN. She's attractive, but a
little cheap-looking. She looks him over.
MARY ANN
I don't know. Maybe This sure is a
friendly town.
Racine is nonplussed. He doesn't know what to do.
RACINE
I'm sorry.
MARY ANN
(mock hurt feelings)
You are? You mean the offers no
good?
Racine comes up on the porch.
RACINE
I feel like a jerk.
Mary Ann gives him a salacious smile.
MARY ANN
Maybe you were supposed to deliver
it next door?
(a beat)
You must be looking for the lady of
the house.
Unbeknownst to either of them, Matty has been watching
from the lawn. Now she moves up into the gazebo. In her
right hand she has an envelope, well-filled and sealed.
EXT. INTERSECTION
A block away from the station, the patrol car races toward
an intersection. Suddenly, a WOMAN steps into the street,
pushing a baby buggy. Pat slams on the brakes, and the
car skids sideways toward the intersection, where it rocks
onto two wheels and stops just a few yards short of the
buggy. Sam sticks his head out the window.
SAM
Are you crazy, lady? Didn't you
hear the siren?
The woman dives to the ground as the BABY sits up in the
buggy -- he is a midget with a cigar in his mouth and a
tommy gun in his hands. Pat jerks Sam to the floor just
as the midget opens fire.
The midget riddles the car with bullets. Headlights
explode, windows are smashed, the grill is torn to shreds,
and steam mushrooms into the air.
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All four tires are flattened, a bumper is sheared off,
and still the blasting goes on.
There's almost nothing left of the patrol car as a dark
sedan wheels into the intersection to pick up the woman
and the midget. The sedan speeds away, and Pat and Sam
climb out of the rubble, unhurt but very shaken.
CUT TO:
INT. TRACY'S CAR
Siren off, Tracy cuts the motor and silently glides into
Cullen Park, stopping just under a low-hanging weeping
willow.
EXT. BOATHOUSE
Approaching the boathouse carefully, Tracy takes out his
pistol. The front door is ajar. Tracy pushes it, and it
creaks open. He enters cautiously.
INT. BOATHOUSE
The boathouse is dark, lit only by moonlight and park
lights that shine through the windows. Tensely, Tracy
listens for sounds, then moves very carefully past stacked
up rowboats and canoes.
Traced against a window at the far end of the boathouse,
Tracy sees the silhouette of a man. Gripping his pistol,
he moves silently toward that silhouette, closing in on
it while keeping alert for movement.
MATTY
Ned, this is Mary Ann.
Matty hands the envelope to Mary Ann, who puts it in her
purse.
MARY ANN
(smiling)
We were just meeting. Ned made me
feel very welcome.
RACINE
I'm an idiot. Nice to meet you.
Are you staying in town?
MARY ANN
No, no, just passing through. Nice
area. A little hot for my tastes.
RACINE
It's unusual. We're famous for our
cool breezes.
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There is a pregnant pause as Mary Ann looks him over,
fighting some private amusement.
MATTY
(to Mary Ann)
Do you want to stay for dinner?
MARY ANN
(negative)
Got to go, got to go.
She pecks Matty on the cheek, then steps close to Racine
to shake his hand.
MARY ANN
You two have fun now.
She's smiling as she leaves the gazebo and walks across
the lawn. Matty takes Racine's arm as they watch Mary
Ann get into her little sports car, which has been pulled
up close to the house. She pulls out waving.
RACINE
I didn't see her car. I'm sorry. I
got to be more careful.
Matty turns to him and puts her arms around his neck.
MATTY
Mary Ann's an old friend. She's
like a sister to me. She wants me
to be happy.
EXT. LAWN/LAGOONS - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty's Mercedes has been pulled out onto lawn next to
the lagoons which border the grass. Racine and Matty can
be seen, intermittently rising into view in the back seat,
grappling, then disappearing again. Matty is giggling.
RACINE (O.S.)
(not in a jovial
mood)
You know, this has never been one of
my pleasures. Car. I considered
the time I spent making it --
(grunts, sits up)
-- like this ... penance for some
sin.
MATTY (O.S.)
What sin?
RACINE
I never knew. Maybe worshipping
women instead of God. But it never
did anything for me.
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MATTY (O.S.)
Not even a Mercedes?
(Racine shakes his
head)
With genuine calf skin upholstery?
RACINE
No.
MATTY (O.S.)
Not this?
Matty rises up, wraps her arms around his neck and kisses
him deeply. She pulls him out of sight.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
An ashtray, full to overflowing, on the rug next to Matty's
bed. And, above it, Matty's hand, clutching the sheets
on the side of the bed.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MASTER BATHROOM
Racine and Matty lie together in the full bathtub. On
the floor beside the tub is the container that catches
the ice from a refrigerator's automatic icemaker.
RACINE
You're killing me.
MATTY
Is there any more ice? I'm burning
up.
Racine gropes for the ice container and dumps the remaining
ice cubs Into the tub with them. Matty snatches one out
of the water and holds it to her forehead.
MATTY
He's coming up tomorrow.
Racine knows.
MATTY
I can't stand the thought of him...
He's small and mean... and weak.
Racine watches some water run through his fingers. He
cradles her head in an embrace that has nothing to do
with sex. She looks sad.
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EXT. GROUNDS - WALKER'S PLACE -- NIGHT
The Middle of the Night. A light FOG has rolled in.
Racine is walking slowly through the shadows of the heavy
foliage. He stops beside a rubber tree.
RACINE'S POV. The Walker House. In front sits a huge
white Cadillac. All the lights in the house are out.
The wind chimes TINKLE softly.
Racine lights a cigarette.
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine stands at the window staring down at the busy Main
Street. He is far away.
INT. ENTRY HALL - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Racine has just entered. Matty is calling from somewhere
out of sight.
MATTY (O.S.)
Just do what I say! Go into the
living room.
RACINE
Come on! It's been three days. I
want to see you --
MATTY (O.S.)
I'm going to make it up to you
tonight. But you must behave. Now
go!
RACINE
I'm going. I'm going.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Racine goes into the living room and sits down on the
couch.
RACINE
I'm here.
MATTY (O.S.)
Good.
Matty comes in carrying a tray with two drinks on it.
And she is dressed in the uniform of an airline stewardess,
complete all the way to her little cap. She cannot keep
a straight face, despite her efforts. Racine begins to
laugh.
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MATTY
(choking back her
giggles)
Good evening, sir... welcome to...
to Flight 413 ... nonstop to ...
She hands him a drink, but he takes it and the tray and
puts them on the floor. He pulls her down across his
lap. They are both laughing hard. He kisses her.
RACINE
What do you take me for?
MATTY
Don't you like it?
RACINE
You think I'm a kid?
MATTY
You don't like it? I thought you
went for this stuff.
He pushes her back across the sofa.
MATTY
Wait ... wait ... I want to tell you
about the thing... the thing that
will drop from the ceiling... in
case the cabin suddenly depressurizes --
oho...
EXT. DRIVING RANGE - NIGHT
A dozen Golfers are practicing, spotted along the row of
hitting pads under floodlights. Most are drenched with
sweat from their exertion in the muggy air. Their randomly
timed swings send streaking white bullets into the
darkness. But what is hypnotic, what so captures a hot
night in sound, is the irregular CRACKING of clubs meeting
balls: CRACK, CRACK-CRACK-CRACK, CRACK-CRACK!
In the darkness of the overlooking parking lot, behind a
high fence, sits the Stingray, with Racine in the driver's
seat and Matty close beside him. They sit in silence.
MATTY
(finally)
What are we doing here?
RACINE
(hushed)
Listen!
(CRACK, CRACK)
I love that sound.
Matty listens, but her eyes are on Racine.
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MATTY
I want to be in bed.
RACINE
Is that all you ever think about?
Racine watches the Golfers, listening intently. Then he
sees that Matty is crying. He comforts her.
RACINE
Hey! I'm kidding.
Matty looks straight ahead and her tone is somber.
MATTY
Yes ... that's all I ever think about
... You and me. Your body near mine,
close. I'm not right when you're
not with me. I get the shakes. And
each time, when I first see you, I
shake even more. For a while. And
then I get calm. I feel safe ...
I've never been this way. I can't
remember how I lived before.
He knows it's true. It's the same for him. He wipes her
cheeks with his hand. CRACK, CRACK-CRACK, CRACK.
EXT./INT. WALKER HOUSE (SERIES OF SHOTS) - NIGHT
WATERWAY/BOAT HOUSE -- The water laps against the pier.
Gently. The quiet sound almost overpowered by the
insistent buzz of the night insects. The CAMERA MOVES
toward the house.
LAGOON/GAZEBO -- A giant palmetto bug leaps from a lily
pad into the water, creating a tiny ripple. The CAMERA
MOVES toward the house.
STAIRWELL/HALLWAY -- Quiet and dark. The CAMERA MOVES
along the shiny white posts of the stairs. Upward.
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Racine and Matty are in bed. Matty is sound asleep, her
back close to Racine. But he is not asleep. He is propped
up, looking down at her. We've never seen his face like
this before. Never this open, never so much in repose.
She stirs, and then is still again. He touches her hair
lightly. She sleeps.
INT. STELLA'S COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Same courthouse/cop crowd as before. Racine finishes a
sandwich at a table as Lowenstein sits down with two tall
glasses of iced coffee, both of which he drinks down.
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RACINE
You look terrible. Don't you sleep?
LOWENSTEIN
I had a dream last night that was so
boring it woke me up. I was afraid
to go back to sleep. Where the hell
have you been?
RACINE
What do you mean, I been around.
LOWENSTEIN
I've barely seen you for a month.
Wait a minute -- it's some new quiff,
isn't it? What's wrong with me.
Racine dismisses this with a gesture.
LOWENSTEIN
You've never been shy about that
stuff.
At this moment, DETECTIVE OSCAR GRACE, a big, powerful
black man comes in. He's a plainclothes cop in shirt
sleeves, his jacket in his hand. As he passes Racine on
his way to the third seat at the table, he squeezes
Racine's shoulders with his huge hands, by way of greeting.
RACINE
Oscar.
GRACE
Hey. You weren't at the Y last week.
We lost.
LOWENSTEIN
(about Racine)
He's getting discreet. I can't
believe it.
Stella comes over.
GRACE
Whatcha got in pie today, Stella?
STELLA
(glancing behind
her)
Cherry, cherry... and cherry.
GRACE
What do you recommend?
STELLA
I like the cherry.
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GRACE
Bring it on. And a gigantic Coke.
LOWENSTEIN
I'm really disappointed, Racine.
I've been living vicariously off you
for years. If you shut up on me,
I'll have just my wife.
RACINE
There's nothing to tell. I lead a
lonely life.
GRACE
Right. And it's gonna snow later
today --
LOWENSTEIN
... And people are basically decent..
(looking around
the restaurant)
... Must be someone I know. Let's
see -- someone in uniform...
Grace laughs. Racine shakes his head in mock exasperation.
LOWENSTEIN
...no Army personnel around.
Waitress... Could it be...
(like Brando in
"Streetcar," but
soft)
...Stella!
Stella arrives with Grace's order. Lowenstein looks her
over as a possible for Racine, but shakes his head. Stella
lingers. Lowenstein spots someone, speaks to Racine in a
loud, excited whisper.
LOWENSTEIN
I know, I know -- you finally got to
Glenda.
Across the restaurant, GLENDA, a Meter Maid, is talking
with some other women.
LOWENSTEIN
How was it? Did she let you into the
no parking zone?
STELLA
I'll have you know Glenda is seriously
involved with a narc from Palm Beach.
RACINE
(smiling his
innocence)
There you are.
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LOWENSTEIN
A narc from Palm Beach? Is that his
hobby?
RACINE
How's the cop business, Oscar?
GRACE
Real good. Always starts hoppin' in
weather like this. When it gets hot,
people try to kill each other.
STELLA
It's true. I could tell you some
people who'll be dead if we don't
get a break soon.
She leaves. The three men exchange amused looks.
GRACE
We've got more of everything bad
since the wave started. It's the
crisis atmosphere. People dress
different, feel different, sweat
more. They wake up cranky and they
never recover. Look at Lowenstein.
(a flash of smile)
Things are just a little askew. Pretty
soon people think the old rules aren't
in effect. They start breaking them.
Figure no one'll care, cause it's
emergency time... time out.
He takes a big bite of pie.
LOWENSTEIN
Oscar, I just don't understand how
you could be doing advanced
theoretical thinking like that and
still be stuck working in our little
town.
GRACE
(good-humored)
Lowenstein dreams of bigger things.
LOWENSTEIN
Assistant County Prosecutor isn't
the end for me, fellows.
RACINE
Hell, no. Someday -- Deputy County
Prosecutor.
LOWENSTEIN
When the truth comes out about some
of the dirt I've been involved in,
(MORE)
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LOWENSTEIN (CONT'D)
my future in this state will be
unlimited.
Glenda the Meter Maid passes their table on her way out.
She has eyes only for Racine.
GLENDA
Hello, Ned.
RACINE
Hi, Glenda.
She goes out. Lowenstein and Grace look at Racine, then
at each other. Grace smiles hugely.
EXT. LIGHTHOUSE/SAND DUNES - NIGHT
The big beacon turns in the distance, throwing an
intermittent bridge of light across the water toward us.
The undulating dunes stretch off as far as we can see.
Racine's Stingray is parked on the dirt access road. Below
it, Racine and Matty sit close in the warm sand.
MATTY
Don't say it, if you don't mean it.
Please, Ned, don't.
RACINE
I do. I want you with me.
She looks at him a long time. There is real joy in her
face. And tears in her eyes. We're very close to those
eyes as she wipes the tears away. Racine puts an arm around
her. She looks out at the lighthouse.
MATTY
I'm going to tell Edmund I want a
divorce. I won't stay any longer. I
would have, if you hadn't come along.
The life is comfortable. I was
willing to go on. But you've reminded
me of what it can be... I know now
that these last three years I've
been living half a life. It's my
fault, I don't deny it. You have to
let yourself be bought. I did. I
let it happen. I've lived so much of
my life with nothing. When you have
no money, you have no choices. I
don't care what they say -- money is
freedom. That's something they don't
teach you in school. But I found
out. And when Edmund came along when
I saw a chance to stop struggling I
took it. I'm not ashamed.
(MORE)
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MATTY (CONT'D)
He got what he wanted... he has a
knack for that. But no more. I'm
ready to walk away from the money.
I have to be with you.
RACINE
(kisses her, smiles)
It is conceivable I'll make a buck
someday.
MATTY
(hugs him closer)
Oh, I know you will, darling. I didn't
mean that. I know you will. But it
doesn't matter. It's you I want.
That's all.
RACINE
Anyway, you'll come out all right.
MATTY
Of the divorce?
RACINE
Yeah. He's ripe.
Matty is silent for a long beat.
MATTY
No. I signed a pre-nuptial agreement.
RACINE
What?
MATTY
He insisted. He blamed it on his
sister Roz -- she's always hated me --
but I know he wanted it too.
RACINE
How is it?
MATTY
Bad. I get some money for a year.
Not much. That's it. But I don't
care, Ned. Not if I can be with you.
She searches his face, almost frightened.
MATTY
Does it matter, Ned? Tell me the
truth please. I'll understand, I
swear to you.
RACINE
The truth? I wish you were going to
be loaded. Does it matter? No. No.
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They kiss.
MATTY
God, you've made me happy.
(she pulls away)
It's time for your present.
She jumps up and runs back to the car. Racine walks back
there as Matty takes a wrapped package out of the car.
She hands it to Racine, who leans against the car to unwrap
it.
MATTY
From now on, when it starts coming
down on you, I'll be there to protect
you.
Racine opens the box and smiles broadly. It is a hat a
fedora in the classic style.
MATTY
Put it on! I'll bet I guessed the
size right.
Racine puts on the fedora. It fits. He looks simultaneously
old-fashioned, a visitor from the Forties, and also very
chic, a present-day fashion plate. But most of all, he
looks exactly right. Matty squeals in glee at the sight.
MATTY
I love it.
RACINE
I want to see.
Racine tries to see his reflection in the car's side view
mirror but he has trouble. Matty, very animated in her
delight, steps up and kisses him quickly.
MATTY
Look in my eyes. Can you see yourself?
Racine tries for a moment, then gives up with a laugh.
MATTY
Here!
Matty opens the door of the Stingray and sits in the
passenger seat with her legs out. She rolls up the window
in that door as Racine stands before it. The glass capture
the moonlight to make a perfect mirror. As the window
goes up, Racine's reflection appears on the glass, posing
in his hat. At the same time, Matty's face disappears
from view.
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INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine lies on the couch. He spins the fedora Matty gave
him on his finger, Beverly comes up and leans against the
doorjamb. She's wearing a tee-shirt and tight slacks; she
looks good. She watches him for a moment.
BEVERLY
Big weekend planned?
RACINE
Nope, Small weekend. Tiny little
weekend.
BEVERLY
There's jazz tonight at the beach...
if you're not doing anything...
RACINE
Beverly, do yourself a big favor and
forget it.
BEVERLY
Forget what?
RACINE
Whatever you're thinking.
She shrugs.. She turns back to her desk, unconvinced.
INT. BAR - NIGHT
Busy weekend crowd. Racine sits drinking alone at the
bar. He signals for another.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF WALKER PLACE - NIGHT
Racine drives slowly by, head craning to peer into the
darkness. We begin to HEAR the thumping again --
EXT. THE PIER - DAY
Racine has been running. Walking now, breathing hard, he
takes his cigarettes from his shorts. At the end of the
pier he folds his body over the rail so that it looks as
though he will topple over the edge. But he does not; he
lights up and looks down there.
RACINE'S POV. The water following against the thick
pilings. Then, TILTING UP, UP, AND OVER, past the ocean's
horizon to the perfect blue sky, which fills the screen.
Racine is looking straight up, blowing his own clouds.
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INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Racine lies smoking in bed, bathed in sweat, a beer nearby.
A fan is pointed at him, but it's blowing hot air. He
looks at the telephone.
EXT. PORCH OF RACINE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Fog. Thick and heavy. Racine's cigarette glows in it as
he sits in the gray limbo. The phone in the apartment
RINGS.
INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT
Racine comes in from the porch and picks up the phone.
RACINE
Yeah.
MATTY
(filtered)
Come to me.
RACINE
Did you tell him?
MATTY
(filtered, after a
pause)
No... I couldn't.
Racine's face relaxes. He looks relieved.
RACINE
Okay, I'm coming.
EXT. SECOND FLOOR PORCH - WALKER PLACE - NIGHT
Same thick fog. The wind chimes TINKLE softly. Light
seeps out from Matty's bedroom windows, half-revealing
Racine and Matty lying together on a lounge. Matty is in
her white terrycloth robe, Racine just shorts.
RACINE
How do you know?
MATTY
I saw the will once. He showed it
to me. He was trying to prove
something ... how much he loved me
or something.
RACINE
How'd he get so fat?
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MATTY
The stock market, investments, real
estate. He doesn't tell me anything,
but I've picked up a little. I know
they own a lot of land along the
shore here.
RACINE
Who's "they"'
MATTY
(she doesn't know)
He's never introduced me to anyone.
I'm not sure if they're all
legitimate.
RACINE
(snorts at the
odds of that)
I wonder what they call themselves.
Maybe I've heard of them.
MATTY
They own that old place in Miranda
Beach, The Breakers... I know that.
RACINE
(surprised)
The Breakers? I thought Hermie Fisher
owned that land.
MATTY
(shrugs)
Edmund mentioned it once.
Racine lights another cigarette and gazes off into the
fog, thinking. Matty presses her cheek against his chest
and closes her eyes tight.
MATTY
Ned, it scares me to talk about these
things.
RACINE
Why?
MATTY
You know.
RACINE
No. I don't.
MATTY
Let's just not, okay? Let's not
think about all he's got.
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RACINE
(pressing)
What is it, Matty? Tell me exactly
what frightens you.
MATTY
I'm afraid... because when I think
about it, I wish that he'd die. That's
really what I want. It's horrible
and ugly and It's what I most want.
Racine looks off into the night for a few beats, then he
lifts her face so he can look into her eyes.
RACINE
That's where we're at, isn't it,
Matty?
MATTY
What do you mean?
RACINE
That's what we're both thinking --
how good it'd be for us if he were
gone. It'd be real sweet for us.
MATTY
Don't talk about it, Ned. Please
don't. Talk is dangerous. Sometimes
it makes things happen, it makes it
real.
RACINE
Don't let it scare you. Because he's
not gonna die. There's nothing wrong
with him, is there? There's no reason
to think he's gonna die, is there?
Matty shakes her head "no," lays it in his chest again.
RACINE
That's right. So we might as well
forget about it, It's not gonna just
happen to make things nice for us...
It won't just happen.
Racine lifts her head and kisses her on the mouth.
MATTY
I'm afraid, Ned.
RACINE
Maybe that's a smart way to be now,
Matty. Maybe we both should be.
Racine takes a last drag on his cigarette and flicks it
out into the fog,
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RACINE
The only thing wrong with your husband
right now... is us.
INT. BAR - PAY PHONE AT BACK
Again, Racine is getting no answer. He gives up, goes
back to his seat at the bar.
EXT. TELEPHONE BOOTH - MAIN STREET - DAY
Late afternoon. Racine, sportcoat slung over his shoulder,
listens to repeated ringing at the other end of his call.
He's surprised there's no answer. People drag by, making
their way home from work in the heat. Finally, Racine
hangs up.
Racine comes out of the phone booth. He has nowhere to
go. He ambles down the street. A few people say hello.
He walks diagonally across the street toward a restaurant
called "Tulio's."
INT. TULIO'S RESTAURANT - DUSK
The best restaurant in Miranda Beach. Racine slips on
his jacket as he comes in the door. He waves to the
Hostess across the dining room, indicating he'll be alone
tonight. She signals a short wait. He steps toward the
bar, bringing him suddenly face to face with Matty.
RACINE
Well, well. Hello to you --
The panic which shoots across her face, cuts him off in
mid-sentence, a split second before EDMUND WALKER appears
behind her. Matty's face goes calm and she smiles
politely.
MATTY
(to Racine)
Hello.
She turns to her husband. He is not what Racine expected.
He may, in fact, be mean, as Matty described him, but he
looks neither small nor weak. A handsome man, he is bigger
than Racine and in terrific shape. Dressed in an expensive
summer suit, he radiates vigor and controlled physical
power. He wears sleek, metal-framed glasses.
MATTY
Darling, I'd like you to meet Mr.
Racine. I'm sorry. I don't know your
first name.
RACINE
Ned.
He offers his hand and Walker encloses it firmly in his.
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WALKER
Edmund Walker. Nice to meet you.
MATTY
Mr. Racine is the lawyer I told you
about.
(Walker doesn't
remember)
You remember. He had a client who
wanted to buy the house. I told him
we weren't selling.
WALKER
Right.
RACINE
That hasn't changed, has it?
WALKER
No, we're very happy with it.
RACINE
(nods)
I can understand that. It's a
terrific place.
Walker nods, looking at Racine carefully. He motions
toward the dining room.
WALKER
Are you going in?
RACINE
I was just going to grab a bite.
WALKER
Join us.
RACINE
No. Thanks very much, but I don't
want to interfere with --
The Hostess has come toward them.
WALKER
Don't be silly. Come on.
(to Hostess)
We have room for three, don't we?
The Hostess nods and leads the way. Walker gestures Matty
ahead, then puts a big hand behind Racine's elbow and
ushers him into the dining room.
WALKER
I've heard this place is great. But
you can't get near it on the weekends
and I don't get down during the week
much.
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RACINE
Is that right?
WIPE TO:
LATER
They have finished their salad at a table toward the back.
A Waiter comes and takes away their dishes. Walker has
taken off his glasses and is cleaning the lenses with a
lovely handkerchief. He does this cleaning with enormous
care and inordinate relish. His manner is a mix of gruff
charm and hinted menace. There's something dangerous
about the man and it's perfectly distilled in his smile,
which is quick, frequent and vaguely threatening.
WALKER
I was a lawyer. Still am, I guess.
But I don't practice. Went to
Columbia. You?
RACINE
F. S. U.
WALKER
(nods)
Good school. I got bored with it
quick. I guess I didn't have the
temperament. I wanted to make the
money faster. Is there a living in
it here?
RACINE
I can afford to send my shirts out.
And eat here once a month, if I don't
order an appetizer.
Walker smiles, re-folds his handkerchief carefully and
puts it back in the cheat pocket of his jacket.
WALKER
I figured an honest lawyer doesn't
make much and the other kind was too
slimy for me. I'd rather be upfront
about shafting somebody.
MATTY
Edmund, really. It's Mr. Racine's
profession.
RACINE
That's all right. I don't like it
much.
WALKER
What's to like. That's the way of
the world. Most people despise their
jobs.
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Walker picks up a wine bottle and pours more into each of
their glasses, emptying it.
RACINE
Do you?
WALKER
No. I love it. But it's not a job.
RACINE
What is it, exactly?
Walker signals to a distant Waiter for another bottle of
wine. He does it with a small flick of his finger.
WALKER
Various things. This and that.
Here and there.
RACINE
You don't have to be specific.
WALKER
(that smile again)
Finance, basically. Venture capital,
Investments, real estate. We're
into a few things.
RACINE
Yeah? Around here?
WALKER
Some. We own some things here.
MATTY
Edmund's company owns The Breakers.
RACINE
Is that right?
For a second, Walker's eyes flick over Matty like a whip.
WALKER
It's not that simple. We have an
interest in a few places along the
shore. For the land. You know.
Someday. There's no explaining it
to her.
MATTY
(to Racine)
I'm too dumb. Woman, you know.
She picks up her purse and stands up with a good-humored
smile. The men rise.
MATTY
I'll be right back.
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Then maybe we can talk about pantyhose or something
interesting.
She walks away. Walker watches her go with a satisfied,
possessive grin. They sit.
WALKER
She's something, isn't she?
RACINE
(nods)
A lovely lady.
WALKER
Yes, she is. I'm crazy about her.
If I ever thought she was seeing
another guy... I don't know.
(he takes a sip of
wine)
I'd understand how it could happen.
Her being the way she is. I'd
understand it. But I think I'd kill
the guy with my bare hands.
RACINE
That's understanding.
Walker looks at Racine and laughs. As he begins to speak,
he focuses intently on Racine. He seems to be trying to
communicate something other than what he's saying.
WALKER
You wouldn't believe the dorkus she
was with when I met her. The guy
came to us with a business
proposition. We're always looking
for opportunities. If the conditions
are right. We're willing to take an
occasional risk, if the downside
isn't too steep. But this guy hadn't
done his homework, he didn't know
the bottom line. That's how I knew
he was full of shit. You've got to
know the bottom line. That's all
that really counts.
Again Walker takes off his glasses. He holds them up to
the light and then rubs them again with his handkerchief.
WALKER
He didn't have the goods, this guy.
He was like a lot of guys you run
into -- they want to get rich, they
want to do it quick, they want to be
there with one score.
He puts his glasses back on, stares at Racine.
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WALKER
But they're not willing to do what's
necessary. Do you know what I mean?
Racine looks at him in silence for a moment.
RACINE
I'm not sure. You mean, lay the
groundwork? Earn it?
WALKER
No. I mean do what's necessary.
Whatever's necessary.
The two men stare at each other a few beats.
RACINE
Yeah. I know that kind of guy. I
can't stand that. It makes me sick.
WALKER
Me too.
RACINE
I'm not like that.
Walker ROARS with laughter. A huge, powerful burst that
shakes the table. And Racine laughs with him.
EXT. WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty's bedroom window, from a distance. The light goes
out, Racine is watching from the shadows of the gazebo.
He stares up there. The TINKLING of the wind chimes rises
and rises. It crests and begins to fade, replaced by the
WHOOSHING.
EXT. BEACH - DAWN
Racine runs south along the beach. The WHOOSHING slows.
He is looking at something. He takes out his cigarettes
as he slows to a walk. When he is directly across from
what he's staring at, he sits in the sand, He lights up.
RACINE'S POV - "THE BREAKERS," an ancient wooden beach
hotel, of medium size, sits at the edge of the beach. It
is closed down, boarded up, deteriorating horribly in the
ocean air.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
Lunchtime. Racine is headed toward his office, briefcase
in hand. Beverly appears out of the noon crush; she's
going the other way in a hurry.
BEVERLY
There are some messages on your desk.
Be back in an hour. Got to run.
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INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine comes into the reception room from the hall. He's
surprised the door is unlocked. He crosses the room and
opens the door to his office.
Matty is sitting in one of the chairs in front of his
desk. She jumps up at the sight of him and moves up to
embrace him.
RACINE
Jesus! Did Beverly see you?
Matty kisses him on the mouth, then shakes her head "no."
MATTY
I waited till I saw her leave. Please
don't be angry with me.
RACINE
Angry? I'm not angry -- How'd you
get in?
MATTY
It didn't lock. Oh. Ned, hold me.
Please just hold me, God, I love
you.
Racine reaches over and locks the door to his office.
MATTY
He left this morning. I had to see
you.
RACINE
(kissing her)
I know.
MATTY
I couldn't call. I'm afraid to call.
I was afraid you wouldn't let me
come.
RACINE
Yes, that's right. You can't call.
Never call. We have to be very
careful now about the phone. The
phone company keeps records.
MATTY
I'm careful. I hated it, Ned. I
hated sitting there with the two of
you. I thought I was going to scream.
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RACINE
(distracted,
thinking)
You did good.
(finds his thought)
You've called my apartment from the
house.
MATTY
No, never.
RACINE
No? Those two times --
MATTY
I went to phone booths. I'm afraid
of him, Ned. I'm always afraid.
RACINE
That's good. We have to be careful
about the phones now.
MATTY
Why, Ned, why do you say this now?
RACINE
(in his own thoughts)
We could account for a couple calls.
We've had some contact. That would
make sense.
Matty grasps his face in her hands and looks into his
face.
MATTY
Why, Ned? What's happened?
RACINE
Because we're going to kill him. We
both know that.
Matty's face looks different than we've seen it. There's
a fire burning behind there and the heat it's throwing is
bringing her equal portions of dread and relief. She
stares at him,
RACINE
That's what you want, isn't it? We
knew it was coming. It's the only
way we can get everything we want,
isn't it?
Matty's nod is barely perceptible.
RACINE
The man's gonna die for no reason
but we want him dead.
(MORE)
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RACINE (CONT'D)
He doesn't deserve it. Let's not
ever say that. We're doing it for
us. And you're going to inherit
half of everything he owns. That's
what the will says, right?
Again, the tiny nod. He pulls her head close, so he
doesn't have to look into her eyes anymore.
RACINE
That's it then. We're gonna kill
him. And I think I know how.
Matty reacts to this.
MATTY
It's real, then?
RACINE
Yeah, it's real all right, and if
we're not careful, it's gonna be the
last real thing we do.
EXT. FISHING HARBOR - STREET ACROSS FROM DOCKS - NIGHT
Matty sits at the wheel of her Mercedes at the curb. She
smokes her cigarette nervously. Racine walks over to the
car from the docks and leans down to the window.
RACINE
I know where he is. It's not far
from here. I don't want you with
me.
MATTY
I thought we settled that. I'll
wait in the car, but --
(she puts a hand
on him)
-- I want to take the risks with
you. We're both doing this.
Racine gives her a look of resignation and moves around
the car.
INT. TEDDY LAURSEN'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT
TEDDY LAURSEN, rock'n roll arsonist, is keeping the beat
and mouthing the words along with the Bruce Springsteen
tape on his workbench. Teddy is in his mid-twenties,
dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans. His arson workshop
is located in the basement of an old building. All around
him are the tools and supplies of his trade: wire, rope,
cans, vises, alarm clocks, chemical containers, and a
huge assortment of mechanical implements. He keeps all
his small accessories in dozens of cigar boxes, unlabeled.
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He knows where everything Is. Teddy is watching Racine,
who is kneeling on the floor before a compact incendiary
device. Teddy winces at the way Racine clips two wires
together. He reaches over to turn down the tape slightly,
then squats down next to Racine to demonstrate the proper
method.
TEDDY
Whatsa matter, you can't think with
a little music?
(demonstrating)
Like this, I said.
Racine nods then duplicates the clipping. Teddy goes
back to his stool, slapping the beat of the music on his
thigh. Racine pulls out the alarm lever on the clock
attached to the device and stands up. He throws a look
to Teddy and Teddy nods that, yes, the device is now set.
RACINE
That's it?
TEDDY
(nods to the music)
It's fast. It's hot. It's simple.
You can use the clock or rig it to
something that moves. It starts big
and it'll go with just the mag clips.
If you want more, splash a little
accelerator around.
RACINE
Just regular gasoline?
TEDDY
Regular, unleaded, supreme -- whatever
you like, counselor. I got to tell
you, though, this mama has a big
drawback.
RACINE
What?
TEDDY
It's easy to spot, even after the
meltdown. They'll know it's arson.
RACINE
I don't care about that.
(looks at Teddy)
That's all there is to it?
Teddy is offended.
TEDDY
No. No-no-no-no. That ain't all
there is to it.
(MORE)
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TEDDY (CONT'D)
You gotta get in, you gotta get out.
You gotta pick the right spot and
the right time. And you gotta try
not to get famous while you're in
the act.
(gestures at the
device)
If that was all there was to it, any
idiot could do it.
RACINE
Sorry.
TEDDY
Hey, now I want to ask you something,
Are you listening, asshole, because
I like you?
(Racine nods)
I got a serious question for you.
What the fuck are you doing? This
is not shit for you to be messing
with. Are you ready to hear
something? See if this sounds
familiar. Anytime you try a decent
crime, there is fifty ways to fuck
up. If you think of twenty-five of
them you're a genius. And you're no
genius. You know who told me that?
Racine remembers telling Teddy that.
TEDDY
Listen, man, maybe you should let me
do it for you. Gratis. I'll do it.
I wouldn't even be on the street if
it weren't for you.
Racine looks him over, shakes his head "no."
RACINE
Thanks.
TEDDY
I hope you know what you're doin'
you better be pretty damn sure about
it. If you ain't sure, don't do it.
Of course, that's my recommendation
anyway -- don't do it.
(he puts a hand on
Racine's shoulder)
Because I tell you, Counselor, this
arson, this is serious crime.
Racine looks at him.
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INT. ENCLOSED SIDE VERANDAH - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Racine sits smoking, watching Matty fill their tall
highball glasses with ice at the bar.
MATTY
I don't know why he's so crazy about
her. Maybe because he never had any
of his own. She's a cute little
girl, all right, but other than
that... I know this, though, her
mother has worked plenty hard to
keep Heather on Edmund's mind, Always
bringing her around, reporting
everything she does in school. That
Roz is a smart one. And you know
that anything Heather inherits goes
straight to Roz. Heather won't even
get a look at it. That's the part I
can't stand. That's why it seems so
wrong to have half of it go to her.
She hands him his glass and stands next to him, her hand
playing with his hair.
RACINE
That's the way it is. There's nothing
we can do about it.
She kneels beside him.
MATTY
Are you sure, Ned? I've been thinking
about it. Maybe there is. The will
is with his lawyer in Miami I know
that. What if I could get him to
bring it home? He did it once, he'd
do it again. If I could swing it,
couldn't we rewrite it? Change it.
Then when he dies, I could find the
new one. We could just change it a
little. Every little change would
mean a lot to us, End. You're a
lawyer. You know how to write it.
It wouldn't seem so odd. I could
say he brought it home and we talked
about it and decided to make some
changes up here. And I knew you
already --
Racine is shaking his head.
RACINE
No. Forget it.
MATTY
I just don't see why Heather should
take half --
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Racine puts down his drink and turns to look down at her.
RACINE
Listen to me, Matty. Nothing strange
can happen in his life right now,
not one thing out of the ordinary.
That's vital, that's the main thing.
If anything does, the chances double
that we get caught. You and I are
walking out there on the edge every
second now. One false move and we're
gonna fall off. It'll be all over.
You've got to remember that all the
time.
(he studies her
face)
You'll get half of everything and
it'll be plenty. No matter what it
is, we're gonna be satisfied. We're
not gonna get greedy. If we do,
we'll get burned. You gotta believe
me, baby, the odds that we'll get
burned are good enough without looking
for trouble.
She studies him with frightened eyes, then nods her
agreement and lays her hand in his lap.
MATTY
You're right, darling. I'm sorry.
I know you're right.
EXT. "THE BREAKERS" - NIGHT
Middle of the night. No one in sight. Now comes the only
movement -- a Miranda Beach Police Patrol Car drives slowly
up the street next to the old hotel and turns south on
Ocean Avenue. When it is gone, all is dead again.
EXT. THE BEACH - NIGHT
Racine has watched the patrol car from the darkness of
the beach. Now he sits in the sand again, his back against
the raised bank of sand on which he runs. He lights a
flashlight and makes a notation in a small notepad.
INT. "THE BREAKERS" - NIGHT
Racine's footsteps creak through the blackness. Then his
flashlight reveals a corridor in the crumbling basement
of the old hotel. Racine is not the first to have violated
the premises -- scattered about are beer cans, whiskey
bottles, beds made of newspapers, the remains of food.
Rats CHITTER and scamper in the shadows. A lizard scoots
over the pipes.
Racine goes through a doorway and is in what used to be a
supply area at the bottom of a stairway.
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Scattered about are empty wooden food crates. The walls
are lined with tall wooden shelves; one of these units is
tipped over across the room, Racine shines his light in
that direction and sees what caused the shelves to fall.
One of the beams which cross the ceiling has rotted loose
and dropped one end to the floor.
Racine has found what he wanted.
EXT. WALKER HOUSE - PARKING AREA - MIGHT
We're CLOSE ON RACINE'S WATCH; it reads 2:30.
RACINE
Okay. Gotta go.
Racine, at the wheel of the Stingray is looking at his
watch. Matty is leaning down to the window dressed only
in a robe.
MATTY
Be careful.
RACINE
I'm just going for a ride. I wish
it was all this dangerous.
She kisses him deeply.
MATTY
I love you.
He looks at his watch again and pulls away. Matty stands
watching.
EXT. FROM PINEHAVEN TO "THE BREAKERS" - SERIES OF SHOTS -
NIGHT
Racine drives his murder route. The roads are almost
totally deserted. Intermittently he passes signs welcoming
him to the towns as he travels south.
A. The first stretch of his trip, Racine travels on a
deserted back road with overhanging trees. A Teenage
Hotrodder passes him and he is alone again. As he turns
off the road, he checks his watch.
B. He drives through a neighborhood of neat houses. No
life.
C. He turns onto a four line interstate. More traffic
here -- long haul truckers, late night drinkers.
D. He drives across a graceful drawbridge, rimmed by
lights, over a canal.
E. He drives toward the ocean beside a pretty lake in a
park. A patrol car passes the other way. Racine checks
his watch.
F. At "The Breakers." Racine follows the same path as
the police car he'd watched.
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INT. COUNTY JAIL - CORRIDOR OUTSIDE VISITING ROOM - DAY
A seedy-looking Thief is brought out of the visiting room
by a Uniformed Deputy, followed by Racine, briefcase in
hand. Racine shakes the Thief's hand. The Deputy leads
the Thief away down the hall. Racine glances at his
departing client, then heads in the other direction.
Before he has gone too far a heavy, metal, barred door at
the other end swallows up the Thief with a piercing CLANG!
Racine jumps. He puts a hand against the wall.
INT. BED - MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Racine and Matty, just their heads on one pillow, inches
apart. They look at each other in silence. Finally --
RACINE
And?
MATTY
The side door.
RACINE
And?
MATTY
Two A.M. I send him down.
RACINE
We won't talk again after I leave
here tonight. I'll be in Miami by
noon Friday. You won't be able to
reach me. When I see you again,
he'll be dead.
Matty nods. She begins to cry. Racine touches her.
MATTY
I'm so frightened.
So is Racine.
INT. RACINE'S STINGRAY - INTERSTATE 95 - DAY
Racine looks off to his left. Miami rises out of the
flat horizon.
EXT. INTERSTATE 95 - DAY
The red Stingray whips off the Interstate toward the
skyscrapers of Miami.
EXT. BUDGET RENT-A-CAR OFFICE - DAY
Racine, on foot now, comes down the sidewalk and enters
the office.
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INT. WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Matty unlocks the door side of the house. She tests it
once from the outside.
EXT. EMPTY LOT - MIAMI - DAY
A Real Estate Agent leans against his car reading a
newspaper at the front of a huge, empty lot beneath a
causeway. There's a big "For Sale" sign up.
Racine pulls up in the Stingray. The Real Estate Agent
throws his paper in his car and goes over to shake hands
with Racine. They turn to look at the lot.
EXT. ENTRANCE - SHERATON HOTEL (MIAMI) - DAY
Racine pulls up in the Stingray. He takes an overnight
bag from the car and goes inside as a Parking Attendant
wheels the Stingray into an underground garage.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Matty sits on the porch drinking a highball. She stubs
out another cigarette in the overflowing ashtray and looks
at her watch. Her foot swings nervously.
EXT. ROUTE ALA - NEXT TO BEACH - DUSK
Edmund Walker's big white Cadillac zips north.
INT. FRONT DESK - SHERATON HOTEL (MIAMI) - NIGHT
Racine jokes with the female clerk at the desk. She likes
him; she'll remember him.
INT. SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty watches the lights of Edmund's Cadillac come up the
drive.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty comes to the end of the porch, a big, welcoming
smile on her face.
Edmund is getting out the driver's side.
WALKER
Hello, sweetheart. Have I got a
nice present for you.
The passenger door of the Cadillac swings open. Pretty
nine-year-old HEATHER KRAFT pops out with a grin.
HEATHER
Hi, Aunt Matty!
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Matty's smile fades for an instant, but she manages to
put it back.
MATTY
Heather. What a surprise.
INT. DINING ROOM - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty, Edmund and Heather have a late dinner. Edmund and
Heather joke together, Matty joins in.
INT. CORRIDOR - SHERATON HOTEL (MIAMI) - NIGHT
A "DO NOT DISTURB" sign is still swinging on Racine's
hotel room door as he slips into the stairwell at the end
of the hall.
INT. SIDE DOOR - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty appears, quickly looks and tests the door, then
hurries away.
EXT. SIDE STREET - MIAMI - NIGHT
Racine unlocks a rented, gray Oldsmobile and gets in.
INT. SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Through an open door, Edmund can be seen kissing Heather
goodnight in the guest room. He gets up, comes to the
door and switches off her light. He starts to close her
door, but she speaks to him. He nods and leaves the door
half open.
INT. RACINE'S RENTED OLDSMOBILE (INSERT CU) - NIGHT
Racine's face, intermittently lit by the road lights, is
set, intense. We MOVE IN on it and --
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Matty's face, her head on a pillow, turned away from her
husband, away from the bedroom door. Her look is just as
intense as Racine's. Her eyes are focused on -
An alarm clock on the nightstand -- 1:15.
There is the SOUND of a car somewhere outside and Matty
reacts to it silently. She listens with her whole being.
The wind chimes TINKLE.
EXT. SIDE DOOR - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Racine's hand takes hold of the doorknob. He tries it. It
won't open.
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Racine's face. Puzzled. He gives an irritated glance
upward. Then he moves along the wall.
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The alarm clock -- 1:42.
Matty watches. Matty listens. She tries to confirm that
Walker is sleeping without looking there. Matty begins to
move her legs slowly toward the side of the bed, to get
out.
Suddenly, the bed lurches. Matty gasps and whips her head
around to look. Edmund is standing next to his side of
the bed in his undershorts. He puts on his glasses and
looks at her.
WALKER
Jesus, take it easy. I thought I
was tense.
MATTY
What are you doing?
WALKER
I can't sleep. I'm going down and
get something to drink.
Matty watches with panicky eyes as Edmund moves toward
door. When she speaks, her voice is different, husky.
MATTY
Edmund.
He turns to look at her. She moves once on the bed,
languidly.
MATTY
I can't sleep, either.
He peers at her in the darkness.
MATTY
Lock the door, darling.
Edmund studies her, then walks over and locks the door.
WIPE TO:
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Edmund's alarm clock - 2:05. Edmund rolls into view, his
breath ragged. Matty's hand is on his chest.
Edmund looks at her and laughs.
WALKER
You trying to kill me?
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Matty, flat on her back, smiles weakly and looks at the
ceiling. Again, the mattress moves. She looks at Edmund.
He has pulled on his shorts and is walking toward the
bathroom.
WALKER
I'm going downstairs. Do you want
anything?
He disappears into the bathroom. Matty slips out of bed.
She is wearing a silky nightgown. She hurries to the
bedroom door.
MATTY
(calling softly to
him)
I'll go down with you.
She opens the door and steps into the hall.
INT. SECOND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT
Matty looks across the hall toward the open door to the
guest room; it is dark. She hurries to the stairs, peering
down into the darkness. She starts down the steps.
INT. FIRST FLOOR HALL - NIGHT
MATTY'S POV as she comes down the steps. Each shadow,
doorway, and alcove threatens to erupt with life.
Matty reaches the bottom of the stairs and peers around.
She starts back along the dark hall of the house just as
Edmund comes out of the bedroom upstairs; he is still in
his undershorts. He reaches the top of the stairs as Matty
moves back along the hall. The alcove under the stairs is
in black shadow. Matty is focused on it.
Just as she reaches it, the lights in the hall snap on.
Racine is standing under the stairs, poised to strike the
figure in the hall with a heavy wooden plank about two
feet long. Matty gasps at the sight, but it is covered by --
WALKER
(at the top of the
stairs)
Christ, woman, did you ever hear of
turning on the lights?
Racine doesn't breathe. Matty is frozen in the spot,
directly in front of Racine and five feet below Edmund,
who now starts down the steps.
MATTY
Edmund... wait!
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WALKER
(stops)
What is it?
MATTY
(whispering up at
him)
Put on a robe or something. What if
Heather wakes up and comes down.
Edmund frowns, goes back up the stairs.
WALKER
(grumbling)
Damn. She's not going to wake up at
2 o'clock in the morning...
Racine and Matty lock eyes. Racine slips back through
the alcove door.
EXT. PARKING AREA - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Matty watches Heather give Edmund a big goodbye kiss and
run off to talk to Betty, the Walker's Housekeeper, who
is sweeping the front terrace. Edmund gets in the
Cadillac. Matty leans down and kisses him goodbye.
WALKER
You don't really mind, do you?
(Matty shakes her
head)
Roz will pick her up on Friday. And
don't worry, Roz won't stay overnight.
MATTY
She can do whatever she wants.
WALKER
(gives her a
skeptical look)
Listen, I don't know if I'll be able
to come up next weekend. I'll know
more later. I'll call you.
He gives her a once-over, proprietary look and drives
away, honking once to Heather, who waves.
HEATHER'S STAY/RACINE'S WEEK - SERIES OF SHOTS
A. Matty sits on the dock dangling her feet in the water
as Heather plays in an inner tube.
B. Racine stands at his office window, staring down at
the traffic on Main Street. He wipes the sweat from his
brow with his finger.
C. At night, Matty comes upstairs with a highball in her
hand. She pauses and looks across the hall to the half-
open door of the guest room. There is just blackness
there; no way to know if Heather is asleep or watching.
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Matty goes out the hall door to the verandah and sits
down with her drink. The wind chimes TINKLE.
D. At night, Racine runs sweating along the Boardwalk,
footsteps THUMPING.
E. Daytime. Matty is in a phone booth in a gas station,
speaking urgently. She hangs up.
F. In his office, Racine hangs up, disgruntled. His
feet up on his desk, he has been toying with the fedora
Matty gave him. Now he sails it across the office at the
hook of a coatstand. It hits and bounces off onto the
floor. Racine gets up, walks over and picks it up. He
walks away from the coatstand, then turns and floats the
hat through the air to land on the hook. From his new
position, he can see out into the reception area. Beverly
is working at her desk. Racine watches her small
movements. Beverly looks up and sees him.
G. Evening. Heather is happily watching television in
the enclosed side verandah in the Walker house. Matty is
in a big chair. She watches Heather, not the television.
She puts a cigarette in her mouth then reaches out to
strike a wooden match against the rough surface of the
porcelain match holder. As it bursts into flame, it
becomes --
H. The flame at the end of Racine's match. He is drinking
alone at a bar and now lights another cigarette.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty comes out. She's wearing a light, simple shift.
She walks over to a small table and begins putting some
dirty dishes and glasses on a small tray. Suddenly, Racine
takes her into his arms from behind. She GASPS in terror;
he turns her to him. He is wearing only cut-off blue
jean shorts and his body is wet, glistening. His hair is
soaking, slicked straight back. He looks different. She
sees who it is and kisses him deeply. They whisper --
MATTY
My God, you scared me. You shouldn't
be here. Heather's still here.
She's upstairs.
RACINE
-- Asleep.
MATTY
I miss you so badly. But it's too
dangerous.
RACINE
She won't wake up now.
MATTY
You're all wet.
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RACINE
I've been out there waiting for two
hours.
HEATHER (O.S.)
(sleepy)
Aunt Matty?
The door from the house squeaks open and Heather puts one
foot onto the porch; she looks only half-awake as she
peers into the gloom. Racine has turned at the SOUND and
for one moment he is sideways to her, his head turned in
her direction.
Heather's eyes suddenly discern the scene. Racine turns
away at the same instant that Heather stumbles backwards
through the door and out of sight. Heather's FOOTSTEPS
patter swiftly away.
Matty and Racine look at each other.
INT. SECOND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT
Matty comes up the stairs and looks toward the guest room.
The door is closed.
INT. TERRACE BREAKFAST AREA - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Morning. Matty sits with coffee and toast at the table.
The Walker's Housekeeper moves about in the kitchen.
Heather comes in and takes her place opposite Matty. She
seems perfectly normal. But she doesn't look Matty in
the eye.
HEATHER
Good morning, Aunt Matty.
(to the Housekeeper)
Hi, Betty.
Matty watches over her coffee as Heather butters a muffin.
HEATHER
Is there any more of that strawberry
stuff?
EXT. PARKING AREA - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
ROZ KRAFT, Edmund Walker's sister, closes the passenger
door of her station wagon behind Heather. Matty stands
nearby.
ROZ
What do you say?
HEATHER
I did.
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MATTY
She did.
Roz gives Heather a look.
HEATHER
Thank you, Aunt Matty.
Roz walks around the car and gets in.
ROZ
Thanks, Matty. We appreciate it.
MATTY
Any time, Roz. She's a pleasure.
Roz smiles, waves and pulls away. Matty watches them go,
worried.
INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
The lights are out. There's enough moonlight pouring in
the open windows to see Racine sitting on the bed in his
shorts, his back propped against some pillows at the
headboard. A fan WHIRS on a table. He lights another
cigarette and takes another drink; a bottle of bourbon
sits on his nightstand. From where he sits, he can see
the ocean. There is a KNOCK at the door.
RACINE
Yeah?
MATTY (O.S.)
It is me.
RACINE
It's open.
Matty comes in. She peers into the darkness until she
sees him. She locks the door and turns to face him. She
is dressed in a pale silk suit and blouse, very carefully
put together. She looks as good as she ever has; she
seems to create her own light.
MATTY
Why haven't you answered your phone?
RACINE
You took a chance coming here.
Where's Edmund?
MATTY
He's not coming up this weekend.
Why haven't you answered?
RACINE
I didn't want to talk. I just wanted
to think.
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MATTY
(nods; then, after
a moment)
Can I get in with you?
Racine just stares at her.
MATTY
I don't know what Heather will tell
Roz. Maybe nothing. Maybe she'll
be embarrassed or afraid. Maybe
she'll think she imagined the whole
thing.
RACINE
(chuckles without
humor)
Maybe we all did.
MATTY
We'll know if she does tell. Roz
will report to Edmund quick enough.
It's exactly what she's always wanted.
Matty disappears for a moment into the shadows.
MATTY
I've been thinking, too.
RACINE
And what have you got?
Matty emerges from the darkness and sits on the edge of
the bed next to Racine. She looks into his eyes.
MATTY
I think we should give it up. We
haven't done anything criminal, yet.
Racine has been thinking along the same lines. He stubs
out his cigarette.
RACINE
It's not too late to back out.
MATTY
That's right. I don't think we can
do it.
RACINE
What do you mean?
MATTY
Things have already started to go
wrong. I feel like we got to the
edge and looked over and, well, it
was too much. We'll just have to
live with that.
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She sits down on the bed.
MATTY
I'll divorce him. And we won't have
his money. Part of me wants it so
bad. I'd be lying if I said I didn't.
But it's the worst part of me, the
weakest part.
She leans back against him.
MATTY
All that matters is that we're
together.
RACINE
(after a moment)
You don't think I can pull it off.
MATTY
It's not you, it's us. I'm sure
I'll make some mistake.
RACINE
That's not what you really mean, is
it, Matty?
MATTY
Yes it is.
RACINE
(very calm, flat)
No, it isn't. You think he's too
much for me. You think I'll fuck it
up, get us caught.
Matty turns toward him.
MATTY
No, darling. Don't talk that way.
It's not true.
Racine studies her face.
RACINE
No? Well that's what I've been
thinking.
MATTY
You're wrong. Don't think that,
ever! I know you could do it.
(moving closer)
But all I care about is you. The
money doesn't matter.
RACINE
It does in this world, the one we're
living in.
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Matty presses her head against his chest.
MATTY
Why torture ourselves about it?
Racine laughs; he doesn't know what's funny.
RACINE
When's he coming back?
MATTY
Friday.
RACINE
That'll be it, then. Nothing will
stop us.
MATTY
Is that what you really want? Are
you sure?
RACINE
Yeah. I wasn't before, but I am
now.
Racine reaches over her, gets another cigarette and lights
it. After he takes a deep drag, she takes it from him
and takes a puff too.
RACINE
This time you're going to know how
to reach me. I don't want any more
surprises.
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. CITY STREET - MIAMI - DAY
Racine locks up a rented Ford on a side street and walks
back two cars to where his Stingray is parked. As he
bends to unlock the Stingray, he looks around and a passing
car catches his attention.
RACINE'S POV, PANNING with the car as it drives by him.
There is only one thing extraordinary about this particular
car. The driver, hunched and intent on the road ahead,
is a Clown, in full costume and makeup.
Racine watches as the car disappears. For a moment, Racine
looks like a dead man.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Matty is reclining in the soapy water, slowly scrubbing.
She HUMS to herself.
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EXT. HILTON HOTEL - MIAMI - DUSK
A Parking Attendant takes Racine's Stingray, as Racine
goes into the lobby.
EXT. FRONT TERRACE - WALKER HOUSE - DUSK
Matty is leaning against one of the posts that flank the
porch stairs. Headlights pass across the front of the
house and Matty's body. She smiles a welcoming smile to
the unseen Edmund.
EXT. TWO-LANE HIGHWAY - NIGHT
A light fog is settling into the dips of the road. Now
Racine's rented Ford appears out of one such depression
and moves into a clear stretch.
INT. RACINE'S RENTED FORD - NIGHT
Racine eyes the fog with concern.
EXT. WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
The FOG is much heavier here. It rolls in past the house
in thick waves. The only light burning is on the front
porch. The wind Chimes TINKLE softly.
EXT. SECOND FLOOR PORCH - NIGHT
The wind chimes TINKLE, nudged by the same breeze that
floats the FOG around them.
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The alarm clock -- 1:50.
Again, Matty lies on her side, turned away from Edmund,
eyes wide, watching the clock. Again, the bed moves
suddenly! Matty rolls over to look.
Edmund is sitting up in bed, putting on his glasses.
MATTY
What's wrong?
Edmund motions for her to be silent.
WALKER
(whispering)
I think there's someone downstairs I
heard something.
He swings out of bed; he is in his undershorts.
MATTY
Are you sure?
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Again he silences her. He walks silently over to his.
closet and disappears inside.
MATTY
(whispering)
Should I call the police?
WALKER
(low, from the
closet)
Will you be quiet? I'm going to
nail the bastard.
Edmund comes out of the closet checking the safety on a
shiny nickel-plated .38 revolver.
MATTY
(aghast)
Edmund, what's that?
WALKER
Will you be quiet?
MATTY
I've never seen that.
WALKER
(at the bedroom
door)
I've got a surprise for this fucker.
MATTY
Edmund, be careful!
But he is already out the door, silently. For a moment
Matty is frozen, then she slides out of bed.
INT. SECOND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT
Edmund has stopped at the top of the stairs. He listens
for sounds from below. He starts down the steps in the
dark.
INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Edmund comes slowly down the steps, his gun pointing here,
then there in his perfectly steady grip. The thrill of
the hunt is in Edmund's eyes. The downstairs is thick
with ominous shadows. At the bottom of the steps, he
stops and listens again. He moves in two quick steps to
the entry hall and looks into the living room and dining
room. He seems to hear something at the rear of the house.
He turns and moves back along the central hall, very
slowly. The alcove under the stairs is pitch black.
Edmund points his gun at that approaching space and stops.
He listens. The TINKLING of the wind chimes rises weirdly,
making it hard for him to hear.
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Edmund's hand reaches out to the wall. His fingers find
the light switch. He flips it.
For a second, we are blinded by the glare. In the next
Instant, as we see that the space below the stairs is
empty, Matty screams from the top of the stairs --
MATTY
He has a gun!
Edmund thinks she is warning him. He spins to look.
WALKER
Where?
Suddenly, Racine bursts from the hall closet, the wooden
plank raised above his head. He brings it down fast toward
Edmund's head.
Edmund reacts instinctively, raising his arm, the arm
that holds the gun, to protect himself. The wooden plank
smashes down -- half its force taken by Edmund's forearm,
half by his head. The gun BLASTS once.
One small window in the front door shatters and the bullet
continues into the night.
Edmund's revolver slides across the hall floor into a
corner.
Edmund is on the floor, blood pouring from his scalp.
But he is coming on like a crazed beast. His glasses
askew, but still on his head, he has grasped Racine around
the legs. With a powerful lunge, he pulls Racine's legs
out. Racine crashes to the hall floor, losing the wooden
plank.
Matty, frozen at the stair railing, cries out.
Edmund is pulling Racine toward him with all his might,
crawling up Racine's body as they both slide on the wood
floor. Edmund reaches out one huge hand, and pulls Racine
even closer.
Racine puts his left hand into Edmund's face, his thumb
flat against the lens of Edmund's glasses and pushes his
head back. The glasses fly away and Racine loses his
hold. Edmund comes on.
Racine's right hand gropes -- gropes -- finds the wooden
plank. He swings it up.
The wooden plank describes a perfect arc into our view,
and then out, finding its mark with a HORRIBLE THUD.
Matty, up the stairs, turns away.
Racine falls back on the floor.
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EXT. TRUNK OF WALKER'S CADILLAC - NIGHT
The trunk is open like a giant maw. A sheet of plastic
has been spread across the inside. Edmund's body flops
down inside. He has been dressed, his shoes and watch
put on. Racine drops the blooded wooden plank beside the
body, then throws a blanket over the corpse and slams the
trunk. Racine turns to Matty who stands, fully dressed,
shaking in the foggy air.
RACINE
The cars at the end of the drive.
Spend the fifteen minutes cleaning
up inside, then come. You're gonna
have to be careful in this fog.
(he looks at her)
Are you all right?
She nods.
RACINE
Fifteen minutes.
Racine gets in the Cadillac and pulls away.
INT. CADILLAC - ON DESERTED BACKROAD - NIGHT
WIPE TO:
The first stretch of Racine's route to "The Breakers"
looks different in the dense FOG. Racine has to take it
slowly.
He consults his watch. A branch from one of the
overhanging trees looms up abruptly in the windshield,
like a grasping arm. Racine flinches.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
Racine drives through the silent neighborhood. The houses
are invisible in the FOG, their presence indicated only
by an occasional glowing light. Suddenly, a police SIREN
pierces the night, followed by the appearance of a flashing
red light on the street behind the Cadillac.
INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT
Racine's eyes jump to the rear view mirror and the flashing
red light growing in it. Racine pulls over. The police
car slows as it reaches the Cadillac, pulls alongside,
and then speeds on ahead, SIREN squealing. A light goes
on in the house in front of which Racine has stopped. He
pulls away.
EXT. FOUR-LANE INTERSTATE - NIGHT
The Cadillac pulls up to the interstate from the side
street.
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As on the other night, there is more traffic here. But
it is moving slowly in the FOG.
INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT
Racine has to cross two lanes of traffic to go south. He
peers out through the misted windshield. He starts to
pull out and a sports car appears from nowhere, doing
fifty, sitting on his HORN. Racine hits the brakes. As
soon as it has passed, there is a lull. Racine fishtails
across the road just ahead of a truck and moves south.
EXT./INT. CADILLAC - INTERSTATE - NIGHT
The traffic on Racine's side of the interstate has slowed.
There's an accident up ahead. The police car that passed
Racine is on the scene, but the lone Cop is not enough.
Some Passing Motorists have pulled over to help with the
wreck and direct traffic. The FOG is aglow with flashing
red and white lights and burning flares. A Man signals
for Racine to stop. The cars in the opposite lanes are
allowed to pass through. Racine keeps his head down.
A STOCKY TRUCKER comes out of the glowing FOG and walks
up to the Cadillac. He leans down into the driver's
window.
STOCKY TRUCKER
Hey, man, do you have any flares?
RACINE
Uh -- no. I don't think so.
STOCKY TRUCKER
(irritated)
Could you check your trunk? We got
kinda of a mess here.
RACINE
I don't have them. I told you.
The Stocky Trucker gives him a disgusted look and stands
up.
STOCKY TRUCKER
Don't put yourself out.
The Man in the road ahead signals for Racine to pull around
into the opposite lanes and move on.
TRACKING along beside the Cadillac, Racine moves slowly
through the nightmare scene. Figures move by carrying
lights and tools. The Injured CRY OUT in pain. Three
cars are meshed in crumpled steel. A clutch of Onlookers
are outlined against the beams of headlights... Racine
might as well be driving into Hell.
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EXT. BRIDGE OVER CANAL - NIGHT
Here is relief. The Cadillac moves all alone across the
bridge. The lights penetrate the FOG at orderly intervals,
barely illuminating the bridge. A huge FOG HORN fills
the air from not far way.
EXT. "THE BREAKERS" - DELIVERY DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
The deserted hotel looms ghostly in the FOG. The Cadillac,
lights out, rolls silently to a stop in the half-hidden
delivery driveway.
INT. "THE BREAKERS" - SUPPLY AREA - NIGHT
Racine, carrying only a flashlight, has made his way to
the supply area he visited before. His beam probes dark
corners, responds to random CREAKING. Satisfied that he
is alone, he moves a wooden crate and reaches into the
hole in the wall which it hid. He brings out Teddy's
incendiary device and places it on the floor in the middle
of the room.
EXT. "THE BREAKERS" - DELIVERY DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
Racine grunts under the weight of Edmund's corpse, flung
over his back. He stumbles back toward the hulking hotel.
The trunk of the Cadillac is closed.
INT. "THE BREAKERS" - CORRIDOR - SUPPLY AREA - NIGHT
Racine sits down hard. He is streaming with sweat under
the enormous dead weight. He adjusts the plastic sheet
so that Edmund's bloody skull won't contact the wall.
Racine gathers his strength and half-lifts, half-drags
the body down the corridor, his silhouette that of a
twisted, double-headed monster. His flashlight glows
from ahead at his destination.
IN THE SUPPLY AREA, Racine has dropped Edmund's body over
some tipped shelves. Now he lifts the heavy ceiling beam
he spotted earlier. He has to change its angle only two
feet in order to let it drop -- now -- on Edmund's head.
Racine walks over to the incendiary device. He pulls out
the lever and straightens up. As he does he looks down a
connecting hallway. He sees movement. He snatches up
the flashlight and the wooden plank and rushes down that
hallway.
AT THE END OF THE HALLWAY, Racine slides to a halt,
breathing hard. Again he sees the movement. A horrible,
sweaty figure confronts him -- there is a broken mirror
attached to the wall. Racine looks at himself a long
moment and the tension seems to drain away...
Someone speaks in the shadows!
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Racine jumps and spins toward the sound, which is only a
little more than a MOAN. His flashlight seeks out the
source - a RAGGED BUM is stirring in his sleep on a bed
of newspapers. He wears an old baseball cap.
Racine looks at him a long time, trying to decide what to
do. He looks back in the direction of the supply area.
He looks at the Bum settling again into a deep sleep. He
looks for one final second at himself in the mirror.
EXT. "THE BREAKERS" - BEACH - NIGHT
Racine appears at a run from the fog. He has the Bum
with him, grasped firmly at the neck of the collar and
the seat of his pants. Racine is forcing the Bum to run
along with him. The Bum is mightily confused, not least
by the fact that Racine has jammed the baseball cap all
the way down over his nose -- he can see nothing. Racine
lets go, hurtling him across the sand.
RACINE
(a low growl)
Get the hell out of here and don't
come back.
The Bum is sprawled in the sand. The baseball cap has
come off. He watches Racine's dark figure recede in the
fog.
RAGGED BUM
(a whisper)
Come on back here and fight like a
man!
INT. RENTED FORD - SIDE STREET - NIGHT
Matty sits fidgeting in the front seat, trying to peer
through the soupy FOG. She sucks on an unlit cigarette.
Racine appears at the driver's window. Matty gasps. He
is a horrible sight. He gets in the driver's seat.
MATTY
Thank god. I thought --
Racine grabs her and pulls her down out of sight, bending
his body low over her.
RACINE
Shh!
The windows are suddenly illuminated by the beams of
headlights. They grow brighter and a police patrol car,
red light slowly revolving on the top, passes next to the
Ford and moves off quietly in the FOG.
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RACINE
(whisper)
They're right on time and I'm running
late.
He rises slowly and watches the patrol car disappear.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
The Ford stops at front of the drive.
INT. RENTED FORD - NIGHT
Racine and Matty break from a kiss. He moves her away
from him.
RACINE
We won't talk for a long time.
She nods. They look at each other. She gets out.
EXT. INTERSTATE 95 - SERIES OF SHOTS - NIGHT
The rented Ford speeds through the foggy night.
INT. RENTED FORD - NIGHT
Racine's face. He knows that for the first time in his
life, he's really done it. There's no turning back.
Racine does something that he's going to be doing for the
rest of his life. He looks in the rear view mirror.
INT. "THE BREAKERS" - SUPPLY AREA - NIGHT
Everything is as Racine left it. Edmund's body lies
beneath the beam. It is barely discernible in the gloom.
The only bright spot in the room is the incendiary device,
its shiny surface catching some errant sliver of light.
And then it explodes with a harsh SHRIEK. And the light
of the magnesium chips is white, blinding. The chips are
out in all directions to the waiting puddles of gasoline.
The light goes from white to yellow as huge flames engulf
the room. The flames ROAR. We watch them for a few
moments and then --
SLOWLY DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SECOND FLOOR PORCH - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Matty stands in the FOG, one arm wrapped around a post of
the porch. Above her the wind chimes TINKLE. She
struggles to hear something else. Finally she does hear
it and her face relaxes and she looks at peace. Listening
to soft, distant SIRENS.
FADE TO BLACK:
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FADE IN:
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
The fedora hangs on the coatstand. Racine works at his
desk, reading over a long contract. The sun is cutting
through the Venetian blinds behind him in glaring strips
and, as he leans back in his chair, he finds it impossible
to read his document. He gets up, goes to the window and
adjusts the blinds so that his desk goes dark in the shade.
As it does, the PHONE RINGS. Beverly answers out in the
reception room, her conversation muffled through the
slightly cracked door. She hits a hold button and yells,
as is her informal custom.
BEVERLY
Ned. Miles Hardin. Do you want
him?
RACINE
Who is he?
BEVERLY
She says he's a lawyer from Miami.
Racine picks up his phone.
RACINE
Hello.
SECRETARY
(filtered)
Mr. Ned Racine?
RACINE
Yes.
SECRETARY
Miles Hardin calling.
The Secretary goes off and Racine is left holding. He
waits five long beats and seems about to hang up when a
Voice comes on, very dry and cold.
HARDIN
(filtered throughout)
Mr. Racine.
RACINE
Yes.
HARDIN
This is Miles Hardin of Morris and
Dale in Miami.
RACINE
Yes.
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HARDIN
As you know, we represented Edmund
Walker.
RACINE
Yes.
Hardin seems to expect more of a response. Racine is
silent.
HARDIN
Yes, well, Mrs. Walker has submitted
the new will you wrote up there.
Racine closes his eyes for a moment. The blood drains
out of his face. He puts a hand out toward his desk.
RACINE
Yes... I see.
HARDIN
And frankly, Mr. Racine, I think we
may have a problem.
RACINE
Uh-huh. What problem is that?
HARDIN
Well, I'd rather discuss it in person.
In fact I think it might be best if
we could all get together down there.
That is, if you wouldn't object.
RACINE
No no, that would be all right.
HARDIN
Good. We have a relationship with a
firm in West Palm -- Shiller,
Hastings.
RACINE
I know of them.
HARDIN
I've arranged to have the use of
their offices. I thought we might
try to make it tomorrow, say ten
o'clock. Would that be possible for
you?
RACINE
Yes, I think so.
HARDIN
Good. Mrs. Walker told me she would
be back down there by then.
(MORE)
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HARDIN (CONT'D)
And I've asked Mrs. Kraft, Mr.
Walker's sister, to join us, also.
I'll see you then.
RACINE
Right.
HARDIN
Good-bye.
Hardin clicks off. Racine hangs up slowly. He stares at
the phone a long time. He gets up, his mind racing. He
goes to the window and parts two of the blinds with his
fingers. The sun makes him squint.
INT. RECEPTION AREA - DAY
Racine opens the door from his office.
RACINE
(to Beverly)
Will you get me Mrs. Edmund Walker,
please.
Beverly wrinkles her brow, spins her Rolodex.
BEVERLY
I don't have her. Should I?
RACINE
I thought the temporary put her in.
She came in while you were on
vacation. Look it up. They were in
Pinehaven, I think.
He closes the door to his office.
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine sits at his desk. The phone BUZZES. He picks it
up.
BEVERLY
(filtered)
I get no answer at the Pinehaven
number.
RACINE
Okay. Try again later.
INT. SHILLER, HASTINGS LAW OFFICES (WEST PALM BEACH) -
DAY
A Secretary leads Racine DOWN A HALLWAY of the richly
appointed offices and ushers him into a --
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LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM, opulent, with a big skylight.
Seated around the room are Matty, Roz Kraft, and much to
Racine's surprise, his friend Peter Lowenstein, Matty is
dressed in chic black, MILES HARDIN comes around the big
desk to shake Racine's hand. Hardin is an impressive guy
in a $500 suit. He greets Racine with icy eyes and a
cordial look.
HARDIN
Miles Hardin, Mr. Racine.
RACINE
How are you?
HARDIN
I don't think you know Mrs. Kraft.
RACINE
(shakes her head)
No. I don't. My condolences.
ROZ
Thank you.
Racine comes up to Matty and takes her hand.
RACINE
Mrs. Walker, I'm very sorry about
your husband.
MATTY
Thank you, Mr. Racine.
HARDIN
You know Mr. Lowenstein.
They shake and Lowenstein gives him a cheerful grin.
RACINE
Hello, Peter.
LOWENSTEIN
Hi, Ned.
Racine shakes his hand. Hardin motions Racine into a
chair and moves back around the desk.
HARDIN
I asked Mr. Lowenstein to join us
because he's handling the inquiry
into Edmund's death for the County
Prosecutor's office. He and I have
discussed this matter and he's made
is possible for us to speak very
frankly here today. Off the record,
so to speak.
(MORE)
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HARDIN (CONT'D)
(to Racine)
As I've told Mrs. Walker, I was more
than a little surprised by the
existence of this new will. Edmund
hadn't mentioned anything about it
to me.
Hardin looks at Racine a beat, but Racine has nothing to
say.
HARDIN
Mrs. Walker explained to me that
when she and her husband decided to
make some minor changes, they just
took care of it up here for
simplicity's sake. And, indeed, as
you know, the new will is almost
identical to the old but for the
disposition of a few items.
(to the group in
general)
At the risk of oversimplifying, the
thrust of the will is to divide the
estate in almost equal parts between
Heather Kraft and Mrs. Walker. Would
you agree with that assessment, Mr.
Racine?
Racine nods.
HARDIN
Mmmm. And you witnessed the signing
by Edmund Walker along with this
Miss --
(glancing at papers
on the desk)
-- Mary Ann Simpson on July twenty-
first. Apparently, it will be
impossible for us to contact Miss
Simpson.
MATTY
Mary Ann is a lifelong friend of
mine. She happened to be visiting
on her way to Europe. I'm sure when
she returns she'll get in touch with
me.
RACINE
(eyeing Hardin)
Although it's certainly not required.
The witnesses to the signing of a
will are not commonly available when
the will is entered into probate.
It's not standard by any means.
Hardin glances at Lowenstein, who watches impassively.
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HARDIN
Edmund Walker's death was not
standard.
ROZ
(to Hardin)
Pardon me. I'm sorry. I'm confused.
Is there some question about the
authenticity of the will?
Racine would like to kiss Roz; instead he turns with a
questioning look to Hardin.
RACINE
I'm confused, too. Do you have a
problem with the witnessing or the
signatures? What is it you're getting
at?
HARDIN
(almost wistful)
No, there doesn't seem to be any
problem here. This is Edmund Walker's
last will and testament. I'm afraid
the problem is elsewhere.
He reaches into his coat and brings out a gold cigar case.
HARDIN
Would anyone mind if I smoked?
No one does. In fact, Racine, Matty and Roz all
immediately produce their own packs of cigarettes. The
effect is comical and everyone in the room laughs at the
group reflex. Roz notices that Lowenstein is not lighting
up and offers him one of hers.
LOWENSTEIN
I don't need my own. I'll just
breathe the air.
Roz smiles and tilts her head to blow a stream of smoke
toward the ceiling. We TILT UP with it as the white smoke
intrudes the clear air and --
WIPE TO:
The same space, thick with smoke, and TILT DOWN to the
assembled group, all of whom are focused on Hardin, except
for Lowenstein, whose glance dances about the rapt faces.
HARDIN
Everything's in order up to there.
The problem comes in the language of
the bequest to Heather. It's a
technical matter.
(MORE)
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HARDIN (CONT'D)
In writing the will, I'm afraid Mr.
Racine violated what's known as "the
rule against perpetuities.
Hardin watches Racine, who reacts minutely.
HARDIN
It's a small thing, but it's the
law. It forbids an inheritance to
be passed down indefinitely for
generations. Many general
practitioner lawyers don't fully
understand it. It doesn't come up
much for them, because wills this
complex are usually handled by estate
departments in larger firms. Handled
by lawyers who specialize in this
type of work.
Matty turns a confused look to Roz who returns it
sympathetically. Hardin notes it.
HARDIN
I know this is terribly confusing,
but if you'll bear with me... I
spotted the problem right away, but
since Edmund's intent was clear, I
thought it in everyone's best interest
to try and get the will admitted
into probate anyway, even though it
was technically incorrect. I knew
that a probate judge in Miami would
spot the mistake right away. That's
all they do all day, they're expert.
So I thought I'd bring it up here to
Okeelanta County -- since Edmund had
the residence here -- and see if I
could get lucky with a judge who
didn't know estate law quite so
well...
(dryly, he can't
resist)
Perhaps find one with the same kind
of training as Mr. Racine.
Racine watches him, his mind racing ahead too fast to
bother being insulted. Lowenstein can't help a small,
wincing smile. Now Hardin gets to his payoff and there
is no amusement in his tone.
HARDIN
Unfortunately, my plan backfired. I
ran into a judge who'd had other
dealings with Mr. Racine. A Judge
Costanza.
(MORE)
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HARDIN (CONT'D)
In fact, it seems there were problems
with an estate in a case four years
ago. Very different problems, it's
true. But on a will Mr. Racine
prepared. It was quite a mess.
Accusations of carelessness, a
malpractice suit...
(to Racine)
I think he called it the Gourson
case?
Racine watches him dully, then concentrates on taking out
a cigarette.
ROZ
Once again, Mr. Hardin, you've lost
me.
MATTY
Yes, what does all this mean?
HARDIN
It means, I'm afraid, that Edmund's
will is invalid. Edmund Walker died
interstate, as though there were no
will at all.
Roz looks at Matty with panicky eyes.
MATTY
So... what happens now?
Hardin looks her over coldly. He doesn't believe she
doesn't know,
HARDIN
You don't know?
MATTY
(irritated)
No, I don't.
HARDIN
Perhaps Mr. Racine would like to
tell you.
Racine is recovering. He gives Hardin a quick, ugly look,
then turns toward Matty, and speaks quietly.
RACINE
In the state of Florida, when a person
dies without a will, and there are
no children and no surviving parents,
then the spouse inherits everything.
It seems to take a long moment for Matty to fully digest
this. It takes not quite as long for Roz.
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Her face goes through several transformations: confusion
to disbelief to despair, then on in the direction of
outrage.
Lowenstein's eyes are flashing around at the faces. He
seems genuinely amused.
MATTY
My god. You mean... it's all mine?
Hardin is an unconvinced audience. He nods.
HARDIN
Though that was clearly not your
husband's intention.
MATTY
My god.
HARDIN
He intended Heather to benefit --
MATTY
(looking between
Hardin and Roz)
Of course, of course, I understand.
Of course.
HARDIN
As you can imagine, Mrs. Walkers
given the circumstances of Edmund's
death, none of this is going to
happen... how should I say it...
simply.
Matty seems still in shook.
MATTY
... Of course...
EXT. PARKING LOT BEHIND SHILLER, HASTINGS (WEST PALM
BEACH) - DAY
Matty, Racine, Roz, Lowenstein and Hardin stand talking
in a little cluster near the building. They say their
good-byes with much handshaking. Matty lays a reassuring
hand on Roz's arm and kisses her on the cheek. As she
breaks from the crowd, Racine walks with her. The others
stand talking a little longer. Racine takes off his jacket
in the blazing Heat. He is very aware of the little group
behind them as he walks with Matty to her Mercedes. When
they are out of earshot --
RACINE
You look good in black.
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MATTY
I've missed you so badly. I need
you.
RACINE
At first I couldn't figure out when
you got ahold of my stationery and
stuff. It finally came to me...
Edmund's signature must have been a
snap. And you knew I wasn't gonna
challenge mine --
MATTY
Please stop. I don't blame you for
hating me right now.
RACINE
You've really done it, Matty. You
really have.
Behind them the group breaks up, Hardin goes back into
the building and Lowenstein walks Roz the short distance
to her car. Matty reaches the door of her car and turns
to Racine.
MATTY
Will you come to the house tonight?
She takes his hand and shakes it for show.
MATTY
I want you more right now than I
ever have. I know how you must feel
about me. But please come tonight.
RACINE
I hope you haven't done us in.
Matty gets into her car.
At the far end of the parking lots Lowenstein has been
watching them as he makes his way to his car. Now, as he
moves between two rows of cars, he executes a few nifty
dance steps, just like Fred Astaire.
EXT. RACINE'S BUILDING - DAY
Racine, jacket over his shoulder and briefcase in hand,
leaves the Stingray at the curb and goes into the big
house of which his apartment is the top floor.
INT. STAIRWAY - RACINE'S BUILDING - DAY
Racine trudges up the dark steps in the heat. As he
approaches the door to his place, he senses that someone
is there. He tries the knob and the door swings open
slowly, revealing Peter Lowenstein, reading a book at the
bookcase and, lounging out on the porch, Detective Oscar
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Grace. The three look at each other a beat and then Racine
comes in,
INT. RACINE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Racine gets rid of his briefcase and jacket as Grace comes
in from the porch.
RACINE
Hi, guys. Just come on in, make
yourself at home.
GRACE
Sorry about that.
LOWENSTEIN
Not me. The door was unlocked,
inviting illegal entry. It's behavior
like that makes Oscar's job so hard.
RACINE
Sorry, Oscar. Would you guys a beer?
LOWENSTEIN
No thanks, I already had one.
Oscar indicates "no" as Racine takes one from the
refrigerator for himself and begins unbuttoning his shirt.
GRACE
I've gotta bring my wife up here.
She thinks our house is the hottest
place in the county.
RACINE
It ain't great this time of day.
There is a pregnant pause as Racine takes off his shirt
and leans against the refrigerator.
GRACE
Ned, how did you get involved with
this Matty Walker?
RACINE
(takes a drink)
What do you mean?
GRACE
I mean she's poison, man. Tell me
what you know about her old man's
death.
RACINE
What read in the paper. He died in
the fire. Looks like arson--
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LOWENSTEIN
Was arson.
RACINE
Okay, was arson. You don't know if
he was setting it and messed up...
or if that's just what someone wanted
it to look like.
GRACE
Nah, he didn't set it. Somebody
offend him.
RACINE
His people owned the place or
something?
GRACE
(nods)
That's right. A very rough group of
fellows, too. They're arguing with
the insurance company right now.
It's possible they wanted to cut old
Edmund out. I'm sure they're not
too broken up over his departure.
(grimaces)
But this just doesn't seem like a
neat way to handle something like
that.
LOWENSTEIN
It's not their style. They're very
smooth. They'd rather destroy you
than kill you. And they hate
publicity.
Racine takes it in, sucks on his beer.
GRACE
Course guys like that make a lot of
enemies. Coulda been a grudge match
from the outside, I suppose.
(he looks at Racine)
But me, I'm kinda interested in the
grieving widow.
Racine looks a little skeptical. He thinks about it as he
moves to a chair.
LOWENSTEIN
Her sister-in-law's got plenty of
ideas along that line, too. She
could barely contain herself today,
I could tell.
(he cackles)
But she wants to wait and see how
Matty treats her on the estate. She
doesn't want to blow it.
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GRACE
How'd you get involved?
RACINE
(shrugs)
They asked me to re-do the will. I
met with her and Edmund. It was
pretty simple. This Mary Ann Simpson
witnessed it with me. Walker didn't
seem to think it was any big deal.
GRACE
That's it?
RACINE
That's it.
GRACE
What was this Simpson's story?
RACINE
I don't know... old friend of theirs,
good-looking broad. She was just
passing through.
GRACE
On her way to Europe?
Racine shrugs, he doesn't know.
GRACE
The passport people can't find any
record of that.
Lowenstein and Grace look at him a long time.
GRACE
What do you think? About the wife?
Racine considers a moment.
RACINE
I suppose it's possible. I don't
know much about her, except --
(he grins)
-- what I've seen. Wouldn't shock
me, either way.
LOWENSTEIN
I've got a feeling she's very bad
news. Take some incredibly
intelligent advice and stay away
from her.
GRACE
He's right for once.
They both get up to leave. Racine watches from the chair.
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RACINE
Well, I'm sorry, guys. I'm afraid I
can't do that.
GRACE
Why not?
RACINE
First of all, did you get a look at
her?
They did. Racine grins. He stands up and comes right up
to them.
RACINE
That wouldn't be quite so meaningful,
except that today she started coming
on to me. And maybe you haven't
heard but the lady is about to come
into a great deal of money.
They look at him with some concern.
RACINE
The fact is, she's invited me out to
her place tonight. And I'm going.
And I'll keep on going as many nights,
or days, or weekends, as she'll have
me.
LOWENSTEIN
Ned, that lady may have just killed
her husband.
Racine smiles cheerfully and puts a reassuring arm around
Lowenstein's shoulder, leading him to the door.
RACINE
Peter, she's not gonna inherit
anything by killing me.
Lowenstein is out the door now. He looks at Racine in
wonder. He shakes his head and goes down the steps.
Racine turns, smiling, to Grace, but Oscar is grim.
GRACE
Ned, you've messed up before. You'll
mess up again. That's your nature.
But they've always been small-time.
This might not be. She's trouble,
Ned. The real thing. Big-time, major
league trouble. Watch yourself.
Racine reassures his friend with touch and Oscar leaves.
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INT. WALKER HOUSE - ENTRY HALL - NIGHT
Matty closes the front door behind Racine and wraps her
arms around him. She kisses him hard and long on the mouth,
then starts on his neck. He begins to push her away but
she clings to him, eating him up.
MATTY
I know. I know. I know you'd
probably like to kill me. I know.
But please... you can hate me...
punish me... hurt me if you want,
but don't talk yet.
She takes his hand and drags him to the steps and leads
the way up, her eyes on him always.
MATTY
Please, Ned.
He lets her lead him up the stairs.
INT. MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
They lie in bed. The wind chimes TINKLE outside.
MATTY
... Mary Ann and I left Wheaton
together and went to Chicago. We
didn't know what we were doing. I
got in bad trouble with drugs. Speed.
Really bad. I did things...
(she looks up at
him)
Whatever's the evilest thing you can
think of me now, I did worse things
then. There's nothing lower than
the animal I was then. Worse than
you can imagine. I thought I would
die. I prayed I would... And then
a man helped me. He got me clean.
He didn't want much in return,
either... He was a lawyer and he
put me to work in his office. I
learned a lot there. One time I
even thought I might go to law school.
... That's where I picked up the
business about making a will invalid.
That happened to him once. I swear
I would never have used that if I'd
known about your case... I was afraid
to tell you, Ned. I knew you wouldn't
let me do it. I'm greedy, like you
said. I wanted us to have it all.
She moves up over him and looks into his face.
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MATTY
I don't blame you for thinking I'm
bad. I am. I know it. I'd
understand if you just cut me off
now. If you never trusted me again.
You'd probably be smart. But you
must believe one thing. I love you.
I love you and need you. I want to
be with you forever.
She puts her head on his chest as Racine lights a
cigarette.
RACINE
They already think you're involved.
MATTY
I don't care.
RACINE
Great.
MATTY
There's nothing we can do about it
now. In a little while we'll either
have the money or we won't. It's
out of our hands.
Racine thinks about this awhile. He exhales a stream of
smoke.
MATTY
I fired the housekeeper. We can
stay together as long as we want.
We're all alone here now.
SLOW, SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
INT. WAITING ROOM - DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
Lowenstein makes Heather and Roz comfortable in the waiting
room, then goes through the gate partition, nods at the
Cop Clerk on duty, and goes into Oscar Grace's office, re-
closing the door behind him.
INT. GRACE'S OFFICE - DAY
It's cramped, hot, cluttered. There is one other door
out of the office. Grace has his feet up on his desk.
He's nursing a bottle of Coke and looking at Racine, who
stands across the office, leaning on a file cabinet and
glaring between sentences. Racine gives Lowenstein an
ugly look then returns his attention to Grace. Racine is
angry, but in control.
RACINE
That's right.
(MORE)
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RACINE (CONT'D)
I've been down there a lot lately.
Isn't that amazing? Miami. Jesus.
I'm handling the purchase of some
property down there. I'll be going
back in the future... if that's all
right, if it's still legal to go to
Miami.
There is silence. Lowenstein looks between them, speaks
to Grace.
LOWENSTEIN
He is mad.
RACINE
Nooo. No, I'm not mad. Why should
I be mad just because my friend here,
who I've know for years, wants to
know of my whereabouts on the night
of our recent local murder?
LOWENSTEIN
It's not so recent anymore. Maybe
he's feeling some pressure.
Grace is pained by all this, but his tone is scolding,
defensive.
GRACE
You brought this on yourself, man!
I don't run this department, you
know. There are people watching
this thing. They hear you're out
there banging the widow every night;
it tends to call attention to you.
So don't give me shit.
Lowenstein goes to Oscar's desk and takes a pull from the
bottle of Coke.
RACINE
That's my business!
GRACE
This whole damn case is getting crazy.
LOWENSTEIN
(to Grace)
Did you tell him about the glasses?
Grace, exasperated, indicates that he didn't.
LOWENSTEIN
Seems Walker always ware glasses --
steel-rimmed glasses. He was a real
fanatic about them.
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Racine is still staring at Grace. He barely seems to pay
attention.
LOWENSTEIN
But there were none on the scene.
Coroner says they should've been
there. He says that even after the
fire the frames should've been seared
into his -- well, you don't want to
hear the details.
RACINE
So what?
GRACE
So it's looking more and more like
he was killed somewhere else and
brought there in his own car. Your
honey, his wife, says he left the
house in the middle of the night
driving himself to some mysterious
meeting. Is that vague enough for
you?
RACINE
Look, what is this? What do you
want? Am I supposed to be an
undercover agent for you guys, or
something?
LOWENSTEIN
Interesting choice of phrase.
RACINE
How 'bout tonight I ask her? 'Say,
did you kill your husband? My friends
were just wondering...'
LOWENSTEIN
Hey, that's an idea. Ask her where
the glasses are, where she did it...
Anything else I'm forgetting, Oscar?
OSCAR
Just one thing.
Lowenstein looks at him a long moment. Racine watches
them.
LOWENSTEIN
Oh, yeah! Right, right. You'll
love this, Ned, this latest
development. Maybe you'll be able
to work up a little sympathy for us,
see why Oscar here has a tendency to
get carried away. Tell him, Oscar.
This is rich.
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OSCAR
This is from the sister-in-law, the
Kraft woman. She's been driving me
batty lately. She's convinced she
ain't gonna be out into the will.
It seems that a couple weeks before
the murder, Walker's niece stayed up
there for a while with your friend
Matty. One night she waxes up, goes
to see her aunt and catches the lady
with some guy.
The three men look at each other. Lowenstein breaks into
laughter.
LOWENSTEIN
Do you get it? In the act or some
fucking thing!
GRACE
We haven't got all the details yet.
Mrs. Kraft is bringing the little
girl up here today to tell us her
story.
LOWENSTEIN
(to Grace)
Oh, they're here. I ran into them
on the way in. They're waiting
outside.
GRACE
Christ. I'm not sure I'm up to
dealing with this scene.
There is a long pause. The other two look at Racine.
GRACE
(to Racine)
Listen, you probably don't want to
see the Kraft woman right now. She's
a little wild. Why don't you slip
out the back way here?
Racine looks first at Lowenstein, then at Grace.
RACINE
Are we done here?
GRACE
(nods, looking at
his notes)
I've got it all here. And, Ned, I'm
sorry I had to ask.
Racine is neutral. He indicates the front entrance.
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RACINE
I'll go out this way. I've had a
lot of experience with disgruntled
people.
(to Lowenstein)
I'll be over to Stella's, if you
want to have some lunch.
Lowenstein nods. Racine opens the door and goes out of
the office.
INT. WAITING ROOM - DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
Racine walks out of Grace's office. Lowenstein watches
him go. Heather is absorbed in a magazine and Roz is
distracted with her cigarette. Racine could keep on
walking, but instead he walks over to Roz. She jumps
when he speaks to her.
RACINE
Hello, Mrs. Kraft.
She seems confused about how to act toward him. Heather
looks up casually. Racine shakes Roz's hand.
ROZ
Hello, Mr. Racine.
RACINE
How are you making out?
ROZ
We're all right, I guess.
Racine crouches in front of Heather and smiles at her.
RACINE
You must be Heather.
She nods. He shakes her hand.
RACINE
I'm Ned Racine, Heather. I've heard
a lot about you. It's nice to meet
you.
Heather nods uncertainly.
HEATHER
Thank you.
RACINE
I'm sorry our town is so hot for
your visit.
HEATHER
It sure is.
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RACINE
(smiles, stands)
Goodbye.
ROZ
Goodbye.
Racine walks away. Heather watches him go. Roz turns to
Heather.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
Racine walks down the sidewalk and enters Stella's Coffee
Shop.
INT. STELLA'S COFFEE SHOP - DAY
As Racine comes in the front door, Stella is leaning over
the counter in a gossipy huddle with a Cop and Glenda,
the Meter Maid. When Stella notices Racine, she breaks
off suddenly and moves away. The Cop and Glenda see Racine
and go back to their food with great deliberateness.
Racine takes all this in and settles at the other end of
the counter.
STELLA
(too boisterous)
Hi, Racine. How you doing today?
RACINE
I'm fine, Stella. I'm fine. What's
the latest? Any hot news?
STELLA
Nothing much doing. What'll it be?
RACINE
What's the special?
STELLA
Veal outlets.
RACINE
What day'd you cook 'em?
STELLA
They're fresh this month.
Racine signals for her to bring it on. He swivels around
and looks out at the Court House.
WIPE TO:
LATER.
Same shot. Lowenstein appears on the sidewalk across the
street. He crosses over to Stella's and comes in.
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He spots Racine and comes over to the counter with a light
dance-walk, breaking into actual dance only as he
Pirouettes before landing in the stool beside Racine.
Racine is almost done with his lunch.
LOWENSTEIN
(to Stella)
The usual, my sweet.
STELLA (O.S.)
Two ice teas for Fred Astaire.
Lowenstein looks at Racine and smiles.
LOWENSTEIN
Are you ready to hear something wild?
RACINE
I don't know. I may have had my
share for the day.
LOWENSTEIN
No, this is right up your alley.
Stella puts the two ice teas in front of Lowenstein.
Lowenstein has to give her a look before she backs away.
Lowenstein leans in confidentially toward Racine.
LOWENSTEIN
Little Heather comes out onto the
back porch, and this dude is out
there with her aunt, see? And he's
turned away with his pants or shorts
or whatever dropped, so he's mooning
the little girl, right. And he and
your friend are going at something
which Heather couldn't quite figure
out.
Lowenstein begins to shake with laughter; he almost falls
off the stool. Racine is confused. Lowenstein recovers
his balance and lowers his voice again. There are tears
in his eyes.
LOWENSTEIN
Poor little Heather! She's never
seen one angry before. But it made
quite an impression on her.
Yessirree! That's all she can
remember.
Lowenstein starts to choke with laughter. He takes a
drink. Racine is smiling now, too.
RACINE
That's it?
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LOWENSTEIN
One other thing. She says the guy's
hair was greasy. He wore it slicked
back. "Like a Cuban," she says. I
loved that!
(he laughs again)
Can you imagine poor Heather? She
hustled back to bed after getting a
gander at that. And listen to why
she got up in the first place, this
is the capper. She had a nightmare!
Christ, can you imagine what kinds
of dreams she had the rest of the
night?
Lowenstein rocks with laughter. And Racine does too.
INT. ENTRY HALL - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Matty has been pushed roughly across the entry hall. Her
back hits hard against the wall at the front of the central
hall. She rubs her wrist where the skin is red and looks
with frightened eyes at Racine.
RACINE
Don't say that. Don't say you don't
have them.
MATTY
I swear to you, I don't. What's
wrong with you?
RACINE
They had to be here when you cleaned
up that night. Think about it, think
hard. They've probably got my prints
on them.
MATTY
I must have missed them. I wasn't
looking for them. I thought they
were on Edmund.
RACINE
So where could they have gone?
MATTY
I don't know.
(suddenly, a look)
Betty!
RACINE
The housekeeper?
(Matty nods,
thinking)
Where would she have put them? You've
been through his things.
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MATTY
She might have taken them.
Racine thinks that's crazy.
MATTY
Listen to me. That's why I fired
her. After Edmund's death she started
acting strange. She was always
watching me, listening to my calls.
RACINE
That's crazy. You imagined it. I
know, I've been imagining things,
too. Plenty.
MATTY
No, Ned, not with her I wasn't. I
could tell there was a difference.
Maybe she know about us. Maybe she
wants something.
RACINE
Don't you think we would have heard
from her by now?
Matty walks over and sits at the bottom of the steps.
She looks up at him.
MATTY
I don't know what to think. I'm
worried. But it's not about the
glasses. Or your friends. It's us.
RACINE
I'm sorry.
MATTY
Your first reaction is to accuse me.
What's happening to you? I don't
know if we can hold on like this.
Racine sits next to her. He rubs his eyes.
MATTY
Hardin called today. He said
everything should be cleared up by
next week. I'll get the money
(a caustic smile)
He apologized for the delay.
RACINE
They've been stalling. They're
draggin it out, hoping they'd come
up with some way to implicate you.
Matty turns and leans against him, looking into his face,
full of love.
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MATTY
But they haven't been able to. Soon
it'll be all ours. That's why we've
got to hold together, Ned. It won't
be long, then we'll get away from
here. Out from under all this.
(a beat)
All we have is each other. I'd kill
myself if I thought this thing would
destroy us. I couldn't take it.
His arms enclose her.
INT. REGISTRATION DESK - HILTON HOTEL - MIAMI - DAY
Oscar Grace has been talking to the Desk Clerk, who now
disappears and returns with the Hotel Manager.
INT. BOOKKEEPING OFFICE - HILTON - DAY
Oscar and the Hotel Manager watch as a Data Clerk extracts
a sheet of freshly-printed billing information from a
computer. He points to a section of the read-out.
EXT. PARKING STRUCTURE - HILTON HOTEL - DAY
Oscar talks to the Parking Attendant who handled Racine's
Stingray. Oscar looks around the structure.
INT. CORRIDOR - HILTON HOTEL - DAY
The door to a hotel room is open in the foreground, but
Oscar is down the hall looking at the door to the
stairwell.
INT. MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT - DETECTIVE BUREAU - DAY
Oscar sits across the desk from a Plainclothes Cop, who
is talking on the phone. The Plainclothes Cop hears what
he wants on the phone and nods to Oscar, tapping a spot
on a list that lies before him. Oscar gets up and looks
to see where he's pointing.
EXT. HERTZ RENT-A-CAR OFFICE - DAY
Oscar can be seen inside, talking to the Attendant on
duty.
EXT. REAL ESTATE OFFICE - NIGHT
Oscar, totally beat, sits in his car. The Real Estate
Agent we saw with Racine comes up, unctuously ushering
Two Businessmen. As he shows them inside, Oscar approaches
him, getting out his I.D. He and the Real Estate Agent
shake hands.
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EXT. THE MOON AND THE OCEAN - NIGHT
It's the middle of the night. Bright under a full moon.
And very quiet. The surf can be heard LAPPING at the beach.
And then we hear HUMMING.
EXT. THE PIER - NIGHT
No sign of life. Still the HUMMING; it's a Broadway show
tune.
EXT. END OF THE PIER - NIGHT
Lowenstein is there, all alone, silhouetted in the
moonlight. He uses the rail like a ballet bar, returning
to it each time he finishes a small combination of dance
steps. The moves are not extravagant, there is not
highkicking. Just a nice, smooth little combination that
Lowenstein is repeating, again and again.
He HUMS his own accompaniment. Then, softly at first,
from the distance, comes the THUMPING of running shoes on
old wood. It grows as Lowenstein completes another
repetition. When the THUMPING has gotten close, it slows,
then stops raggedly. Lowenstein looks that way.
RACINE (O.S.)
(out of breath)
Peter?
LOWENSTEIN
Hi, Ned.
Racine walks up, dripping sweat, already extracting his
cigarettes from his shorts.
RACINE
What are you doing here?
LOWENSTEIN
I've been looking for you.
RACINE
Yeah?
LOWENSTEIN
Yeah. You always run this late?
RACINE
Nah. I'm going to Miami tomorrow.
I'm not gonna have time.
LOWENSTEIN
What's in Miami?
RACINE
I'm closing this real estate deal
I've been working on.
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Lowenstein nods and turns to lean over the rail. Racine
offers him a cigarette. Lowenstein accepts and Racine
lights both of theirs. Lowenstein glances at Racine's
pack as Racine puts it away.
LOWENSTEIN
You're some kind of health nut.
(Racine smiles)
Matty Walker smokes that same brand.
I noticed that.
RACINE
Is this gonna be one of those
conversations? Maybe I should have
my lawyer present.
LOWENSTEIN
Buddy, your lawyer is present.
They look at the ocean.
LOWENSTEIN
You know, that Edmund Walker was a
bad guy. The more I find out about
him, the happier I am he's dead. I
figure it's a positive thing for the
world.
RACINE
You're not known for being a
hardliner.
LOWENSTEIN
Mmm. I have my own standards. I try
to keep them private.
(he looks at his
cigarette)
As far as I'm concerned, I don't
care who killed him. And I don't
care who gets rich because of it.
(shakes his head)
But Oscar, Oscar's not like that.
His whole life is based on doing the
right thing. He's the only person I
know like that. Sometimes it's a
real pain in the ass. Even for him.
Lowenstein glances at Racine, but only for a moment.
LOWENSTEIN
Oscar's unhappy right now. He's in
pain.
RACINE
Why is that?
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LOWENSTEIN
Because he likes you. He likes you
even better than I do.
(long pause)
That's why he's been busting his
butt trying to locate this Mary Ann
Simpson. They finally found her
place in Miami yesterday, but the
woman herself was gone... looked
like she left in a hurry.
(a beat)
Oscar thought any story she could
tell might help you. He thinks you
need help.
Racine turns around, drapes his arms back along the rail
and lets his head loll, like a tired runner.
LOWENSTEIN
Someone's putting you in deep trouble,
my friend. From about three thirty
to five AM on the night Walker was
killed, someone called your hotel
room repeatedly. The hotel didn't
want to put them through, but whoever
was calling convinced them it was an
emergency. The phone rang and rang,
but you didn't answer.
Racine looks at him.
LOWENSTEIN
Don't say anything. Save it for some
Other time. It gets worse.
(he stamps out his
butt)
Now someone's trying to give us
Edmund's glasses. We don't know who.
We don't know what the glasses will
tell us. But our negotiations are
continuing.
Lowenstein steps away, toward the street. He looks sad.
LOWENSTEIN
I wish I knew what to tell you, Ned.
But I don't have any good ideas.
He turns and walks away.
LOWENSTEIN
I'll see ya.
Racine watches him go. He takes out his pack of cigarettes
and extracts one. He stares at the pack in his hand.
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EXT. FRONT TERRACE - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
The house is dark. Racine tries the door a last time.
(He's still in his sweaty running clothes.) No good. No
one here. Racine peers inside one final time. He is looking
through the new glass in the same little window shot out
by Edmund's gun. The wind chimes TINKLE loudly.
EXT. INTERSTATE 95 - DAY
Racine's Stingray whips south in the morning light.
INT. RACINE'S CAR - DAY
Racine is shaved and showered and wearing a tie, but he
doesn't look fresh. His mind is elsewhere. He looks off
to his left. Miami sits on the horizon.
INT. ELEVATOR - SKYSCRAPER - DAY
The elevator is packed with lawyers. They're heading out
to lunch. They wear expensive suits. Racine is backed
into a corner. He watches them, as though from a distance.
He looks different from them.
INT. LOBBY - SKYSCRAPER - DAY
The lawyers pile out of the elevator. A few carry
briefcases. Racine finally appears. He too carries a
briefcase. He looks across the huge lobby at the entrance
to a restaurant/bar.
INT. RESTAURANT/BAR - SKYSCRAPER - DAY
Racine sits at the bar with a drink. Once more, he glances
diagonally to the end of the bar, at a guy in a three-
piece suit. The guy seems to be looking at Racine whenever
he isn't watching the front entrance. Finally the guy can
control himself no longer. He picks up his drink and walks
around the bar to the space next to Racine. His name is
MICHAEL GLENN and he's bright, successful and irritating.
The two men are on the edge of remembering each other.
GLENN
We know each other, don't we?
(Racine smiles,
uncertain)
I'm Michael Glenn. With Bashford,
Hillerman.
The smile fades from Racine's face.
RACINE
Ned Racine.
It comes back to Glenn in a flash. He wishes he hadn't
come up.
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GLENN
Christ, I've done it again.
(embarrassed,
indicates the
entrance)
I'm just meeting some people.
Racine nods. Glenn looks him over, smiles; he's
ingratiating.
GLENN
Hey, this is silly. You're not still
mad about that Gourson business?
(Racine shrugs,
takes a drink)
We had to do it. Costanza practically
insisted we sue you. Listen, nobody
at our place likes malpractice against
other lawyers.
RACINE
Forget it.
Glenn remembers something. He smiles confidentially.
GLENN
I tried to make it up to you.
Racine looks at him blankly.
GLENN
Did you ever meet a lady named Matty
Walker? You'd remember her. A very
hot number.
RACINE
Matty Walker?
GLENN
(glances at the
entrance)
Yeah. I met her at a party. She said
she was going up there and she wanted
to know about lawyers. I gave her
your name.
RACINE
When was this?
GLENN
(trying to remember)
I don't know... long time. Maybe
September.
Racine stares at him. Glenn sees his party at the entrance.
He offers his hand.
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GLENN
Oops, gotta go.
RACINE
Did you tell her about the Gourson
case?
GLENN
(a slimy grin)
Hey, I was trying to get you work.
He starts to move away. Racine grabs him by his tie and
pulls him back hard. The people nearby turn in alarm.
Racine speaks very quietly to the startled Glenn.
RACINE
Did you tell her about Gourson?
GLENN
Jesus, are you nuts?
Racine twists his grip on Glenn's tie. Glenn starts to
choke.
GLENN
Maybe I told her how we met. Yeah,
maybe.
Racine lets him go.
EXT. FRONT OF WALKER HOUSE - DUSK
Racine's Stingray tears up the drive and SQUEALS to a
stop in the parking area. Racine looks at the house from
the car. It looks deserted as before. He pulls the Stingray
onto the lawn and drives all the way around the house,
then out the drive through his own dust.
EXT. PORCH - RACINE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Racine stares out at the ocean. He lights another cigarette
and lifts a glass of bourbon to his lips. Suddenly, he
laughs, short and harsh. But the smile fades quickly.
INT. RECEPTION AREA - RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine comes in carrying his briefcase. Beverly looks him
over critically; he doesn't look so good.
BEVERLY
Is there something wrong with your
phone?
RACINE
Just off the hook. What?
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BEVERLY
Teddy Laursen is in County. He's
very anxious to talk to you. He
sounded bad.
Racine nods, turns back to the door.
BEVERLY
Hey, are you all right?
Racine stops for a moment and looks at her. He smiles and
goes out.
INT. COUNTY JAIL - VISITING ROOM - DAY
Teddy Laursen sits across the table from Racine. Teddy,
too, looks a little ragged. Nervous.
TEDDY
I don't know. It's a thing in
Lauderdale. Something must've gone
wrong, but they're not telling me.
I'm a little worried.
RACINE
I'll find out.
TEDDY
No, no. That's not why I called you.
In fact, I got me another lawyer.
Racine watches him.
TEDDY
I think it would be better. You know
Schlisgal.
RACINE
(nods, confused)
He's good.
Teddy looks around nervously. Racine waits.
TEDDY
This broad came to me last week. A
real looker. She said you told her
how to reach me, I figured you musta,
she knew all about it.
(Racine nods)
She said you wanted another one.
Teddy searches Racine's face, trying to see if the story
was true. He's not surprised that it's not.
TEDDY
Yeah, I was afraid of that. But I'm
a slow thinker.
(MORE)
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TEDDY (CONT'D)
(lowers his voice
even more)
She had me show her how to rig it to
a door, with a little delay. Does
any of this mean anything to you?
Racine looks at him blankly.
TEDDY
Then I'm glad I told you. Watch your
step.
RACINE
Thanks, Teddy.
Racine pushes his chair back. Teddy seems torn about saying
more. He forces himself to --
TEDDY
Racine... Don't thank me yet. These
guys here, they've been asking me
about The Breakers.
(reads Racine's
look)
I haven't told 'em shit. But I don't
like the look on their faces.
Racine gets up.
INT. RACINE'S OFFICE - DAY
Racine listens to the endless ringing on the other end of
his call and slowly hangs up. The phone rings in the
reception room and Beverly picks it up, then hits the
hold button.
BEVERLY
(yells)
Ned. It's Mrs. Walker. Do you want
her?
RACINE
Yeah.
(he picks up)
Hello.
MATTY
(filtered throughout)
Hello, Ned. Can we talk?
Racine swivels in his chair so that he can see Beverly in
the reception room. Beverly is just replacing the receiver
on the hook and for a moment, she gives Racine a strange,
ambivalent look. Racine watches her as she goes back to
work and speaks quietly into the phone.
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RACINE
Okay. Where are you?
MATTY
I'm in Miami. I've been running around
like crazy and I could reach you
before I left.
(a pause)
Ned, everything's going to be all
right.
RACINE
Tell me.
MATTY
I've got the money. I've taken it
and sent it somewhere safe. It's all
ours now.
(Racine says nothing)
But that's not the best part.
RACINE
What's the best part?
MATTY
The glasses. I got them back. That
is, they should be ours by now.
Betty had them. She wanted money.
That's why I had to come down here.
She made it all very difficult, but
I think it worked out.
RACINE
Do you have them?
MATTY
No. She wouldn't do that. She's
putting them in the boathouse. In
the top drawer of the dresser in the
boathouse. They should be there
now, if she's kept up her end.
RACINE
Yes.
MATTY
I think you'd better get them right
away. I don't trust her.
RACINE
In the boathouse.
MATTY
That's right. The top drawer of the
dresser. Oh. Ned, we're going to be
all right. I'll leave here as soon
(MORE)
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MATTY (CONT'D)
as I can. I should be there by seven-
thirty. I can't wait to see you,
darling. We've made it.
Racine is silent.
MATTY
Are you all right?
RACINE
Yes.
MATTY
Good-bye, sweetheart.
She clicks off. Racine puts down the phone and stares at
it.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - COUNTY JAIL - DAY
Teddy Laursen watches as Oscar Grace and another Detective
come into the room. They look grim.
GRACE
Teddy, this is Detective Knapp from
the Fort Lauderdale Arson Squad.
He's brought some very bad news about
that fire. Seems there were two people
who didn't get out.
Teddy reacts. It's the first time for him.
GRACE
I know, Teddy. It's not like you.
And I'm willing to make that clear
to anybody who'll listen. But you're
going to have to help me out on this
Breakers business.
Teddy looks at him. Teddy is hurting.
INT. RACINE'S CAR - DUSK
Racine drives. The Stingray passes the sign --
"You are entering
PINEHAVEN
Please drive safely"
The town looks well tended.
EXT. BOAT HOUSE - WALKER HOUSE - DAY
Racine comes down the lawn. He walks slowly toward the
boathouse. His walk is unsteady. Racine moves around to
the front of the boathouse and steps onto its wooden porch.
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Racine's focus is on the doorknob of the closed door.
But he moves past it to the window. The curtains have
been carefully drawn across it; it is impossible to see
beyond them into the boathouse. Except... except for one
little slice at the bottom of the window where the curtains
are held apart a fraction of an inch by something. Racine
crouches down to look through the crack.
WHAT RACINE SEES. The curtains are being held apart this
little bit by a wire. A wire which is attached to the
window and runs tautly back into the gloom of the
boathouse. Racine shifts his head an inch and he can see
another wire. It originates from that same spot back in
the gloom and runs toward the door, although Racine, with
this limited view, cannot actually see where the wire is
attached. But Racine is not really trying --
Racine has rocked back on his heels away from the window.
He stands up and steps away from the boathouse. You might
call it a stagger.
INT. GRACE'S OFFICE - POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Lowenstein is in a chair. Grace is turned away, looking
out the window at the dark street. They both look dejected.
After a long silence --
LOWENSTEIN
Stupid. That's always been the
problem.
(a beat)
Her mind encompasses his.
GRACE
I better go get him.
EXT. REAR OF WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
The house looms darkly. Racine has packed the Stingray in
the black shadows of the big tree behind the house, hiding
it. He starts to walk back around the driveway side of
the house when something catches his eye at the other end
of the house. He walks over there.
Close to that far wall, in shadow as deep as the one he
has just used is, to Racine's surprise -- Matty's
Mercedes. Racine stares at the car.
EXT. RACINE'S BUILDING - NIGHT
Grace comes out of the house and walks to his car,
thinking.
INT. EDMUND'S CLOSET - MATTY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Racine pushes aside some clothes and reaches up to a high
shelf. He feels around until he's got what he wants.
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He pulls down the wooden case and opens it. Inside is
Edmund's .38 revolver.
EXT. DRAWBRIDGE ACROSS THE CANAL - NIGHT
Grace's car is among a dozen held up by the raised
drawbridge. A sailboat is gliding slowly through. Grace
is outside his car, leaning against it.
EXT. GAZEBO -- WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Close on Racine's watch -- ten-o-five.
The wind chimes on the gazebo TINKLE. Racine sits smoking
in the shadows. He takes another drink from a glass of
liquor. All the lights on the lawn, gazebo and boathouse
are off. Racine hears something and peers toward the
driveway. Headlights move very slowly up the drive toward
the house. It is Edmund's Cadillac, glowing in the
moonlight.
The Cadillac stops in front of the house and for several
moments nothing happens. Then Matty gets out of the car
Waterway.
She is wearing the same white dress she was wearing when
Racine first saw her and she is luminous in the moonlight.
Racine watches from the blackness of the gazebo. Silently.
Matty walks twenty feet past the gazebo and stops when
she can make out the boathouse in the gloom. She stares
at it a moment then turns back toward the house.
Racine steps to the edge of the gazebo. Matty seems
startled for only a split second.
MATTY
Hello, darling.
RACINE
Hello, Matty.
MATTY
Where's your car?
RACINE
In the back. With yours.
MATTY
Why haven't you turned on the lights?
RACINE
I could see.
Matty comes up the steps and puts her arms around him.
She closes her eyes as she hugs him. They are one figure
melded in the gloom.
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MATTY
It's all ours now, Ned. We could
leave tonight if we wanted. It's
over.
RACINE
Yes, it is.
MATTY
(voice changed)
What's this --?
Suddenly she backs away from him, down the steps, her
white dress moving back into the bright moonlight from
the shadow of the gazebo. She looks up at Racine.
RACINE
It's Edmund's gun. You remember it,
don't you?
He has it in his hand now. He looks it over casually, but
the barrel is toward her.
MATTY
What is it, Ned? What's happened?
RACINE
I think you know.
MATTY
No. I swear to you, I don't!
RACINE
It's the glasses, Matty.
MATTY
Weren't they there? Didn't she bring
them?
RACINE
I didn't see them.
MATTY
She promised she'd bring them.
RACINE
Maybe I missed them. The way you
missed them that night.
MATTY
Ned, I don't know what you think,
but you're wrong. I haven't done
anything to hurt you. I love you.
You've got to believe me.
RACINE
Keep talking, Matty. Experience shows
I can be convinced of anything.
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EXT. STREET NEAR WALKER PLACE - NIGHT
Grace's car moves up the street past the gated drives.
EXT. BACK LAWN - NIGHT
Racine is at the bottom of the gazebo steps now. Matty
has backed away, toward the Waterway.
MATTY
I did arrange to meet you. But, Ned,
it all changed. You changed it. I
fell in love with you. I didn't plan
that...
Racine laughs, short and bitterly.
RACINE
You never quit, do you? You just
keep on coming.
MATTY
How can I prove it to you? What can
I say?
RACINE
The glasses, Matty. Why don't you go
down there and get them?
Matty is silent. She starts to speak, but nothing comes
out. Now there is real fear in her eyes.
MATTY
But you said they weren't there.
RACINE
I said I didn't see them.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - WALKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Grace's car moves down the drive.
EXT. BACK LAWN - NIGHT
Racine has moved closer to Matty, away from the house.
They are only six feet apart. Tears are now rolling down
Matty's cheeks.
MATTY
I'll go, Ned. I'll go and look for
them.
She turns and starts walking toward the ocean. Just as
she is about to disappear into the shadows, she turns
back to him.
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MATTY
Ned... no matter what you think, I
do love you.
AT THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE
Grace has gotten out of his car. He starts toward the
front door, but sees Racine out on the lawn. He heads out
in that direction, but stops as Racine steps into a bright
spot of moonlit lawn and the gun's shiny silverplate glints
in the light. The gun is pointed at the retreating Matty.
Grace pulls his own gun from a shoulder holster and raises
it. He is about to call out, when Matty disappears
completely in the gloom. Racine lowers the revolver wearily
and stares out toward the boathouse. Grace lowers his
gun and looks out there too. He moves slowly forward.
Close on Racine's face. It's changing now. It's not just
that he's very tired. The hardness is going out of his
look. As the seconds tick by, and Matty does not reappear,
he begins to lose faith in his view of the world. He begins
to be afraid. Afraid for Matty. Even now.
A sudden breeze starts the wind chimes TINKLING loudly.
RACINE
No, Matty! Stop! Don't go in! Matty.
Racine breaks into a run, dropping the revolver on the
grass. He has taken two big strides when --
There is a sound like the ROAR of a dragon, and the roof
of the boathouse lifts and then disappears in a huge BALL
OF FLAME. The air is sucked around Racine's body, whipping
at his clothes, as he stumbles on the lawn and falls
forward.
Grace steadies himself against the side of the gazebo.
Racine knows horror. He struggles to his feet and stumbles
toward the fire. His body is silhouetted against the
leaping, ROARING flames in the night sky.
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
INT. RACINE'S CELL BLOCK - FLORIDA STATE PENITENTIARY -
NIGHT
Absolute quiet. We move above cell after cell, dark with
sleeping convicts.
We stop at Racine's cell. It is dark like the rest. Racine
is in there alone. We move down close to his sleeping
form. He looks thinner.
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Suddenly he wakes with a start! His eyes snap open wide;
he is totally and instantly awake. He talks to himself,
with true amazement.
RACINE
She's alive.
INT. VISITORS CENTER - FLORIDA STATE PENITENTIARY - DAY
Grace sits on the other side of the glass from Racine.
They talk on telephones. Grace's eyes are sad; they say
he thinks Racine is going crazy.
RACINE
But what if that was someone else's
body in there? What if it was already
there when I got there -- dead and
waiting for me. Maybe her friend...
Mary Ann.
GRACE
Her teeth were left, man. We sent
them back to Illinois. The
identification was positive. That
was her, that was Matty Tyler Walker.
That was her and she's dead.
RACINE
You're not listening to me. What if
she's been using this other girl's
name? Since she met Walker three
years ago, since she first spotted
him and decided to take him... one
way or another. Maybe Walker -- or
any of us -- never knew her real
name.
GRACE
Why would she want to hide her
identity?
RACINE
I don't know. Maybe there was
something in her past, something so
bad she was afraid it would queer it
with Walker if he found out -- that
he'd never marry her.
Grace is unreceptive to this. But Racine is charged.
RACINE
Let's say she's living as the other
girl, this girl from her past. Someone
whose history she knew and could use
any way she wanted. And there's only
one person in the world who knows
the truth.
(MORE)
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RACINE (CONT'D)
(he leans in)
And then just when Matty's got me on
the line, when she's finally going
to collect, that one person shows
up. That girl. Finds her. And
threatens to expose her. So Matty
starts paying her off. Maybe she
even promises to cut her in on
Edmunds' money. Now she's got to
share it with two people.
Racine peaks, tapping the glass between them as though it
were all there for Grace to see.
RACINE
But when Matty sees a way to get rid
of both of them at once. A way to
solve all her problems and get clear,
with no one looking for her. At the
boathouse. You find two bodies, me
and this girl. Two killers dead.
Case closed.
Oscar isn't buying.
RACINE
You can't find the money, can you,
Oscar? Doesn't that tell you
something?
GRACE
It tells me she moved it and we can't
find it. And that don't mean shit.
It could be sittin' in any bank in
the world waiting for a dead lady to
come for it.
Racine, calmer now, shakes his head "no."
GRACE
Do you hear what you're saying? It's
crazy. This Matty would've had to
been one quick, smart broad.
Racine confirms Grace's fears with a look that can only
be called half-crazed. There's the glimmer of a rueful
smile.
RACINE
Oscar, don't you understand? That
was her special gift she was
relentless.
(much quieter)
Matty was the kind of person who
could do what was necessary. Whatever
was necessary.
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These words have no special import to Grace. He looks at
Racine without hope.
GRACE
Racine, you got to face something.
You killed Edmund Walker, man. And
you're going down for it. Two people
are dead. And no matter how you want
to figure it, you ain't bringin'
either of 'em back to life.
Grace gives him a long look, then hangs up the phone. He
stands up and walks away. Racine sits and stares.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. RACINE'S CELL BLOCK - DAY
Racine, bearded now, comes to the front of his cell to
get his mail. A Trustee hands through a book-size manila
envelope, which has been neatly opened by the prison
authorities. Racine looks at the return address and becomes
very intense. He sits on his cot and slides out a book. A
letter is clipped to the front. Racine scans it quickly
and begins looking through the book.
It is an old high school yearbook. Racine's fingers are
shaking slightly as they leaf quickly past black and white
scenes of youthful innocence among the Wheaton High School
Cougars of 1966.
He reaches the individual pictures of the seniors and hi
hurries through the O's and R's to the T's.
Racine's eyes are darting over the pages. Suddenly they
stop. He has found her entry. We see it too --
MARY ANN TYLER
Home Economics "Matty"
TRI-Y 29 39 4. CHORUS
Ambition -- "To Graduate"
The picture is not great. The pretty face is a little
cheap-looking. It is not the Matty he knew. It is her
friend from the back verandah, Mary Ann.
Racine's eyes dart. He thinks. Then, he flips back a few
pages. He finds what he wants --
MARY ANN SIMPSON
English
TRI-Y 2, 3, 4; CHORUS 2, 3, 4
HOMECOMING PRINCESS 3, 4; SWIMMING 2, 3
Ambition-- "To be rich and live in an exotic land."
We're very close on the type of her ambition when we pan
up the page to her smiling face. Her smile is so big, she
seems almost to be laughing.
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Racine's face. That's the woman he loved.
Back to her picture. We're moving in on it. Closer. Closer.
And then through it --
To her real face, this Matty, this Mary Ann, alive and
fine in the sun of --
EXT. A HIGH PATIO - AN EXOTIC LAND - DAY
One shot, very close on that lovely face, moving around
it in a tight half-circle that barely lets us glimpse the
sun-drenched, foreign town far below and the tropical
foliage that surrounds the patio. For one brief moment,
she seems to be crying. But no, it is not a tear. It is a
little drop of sweat. She wipes it from her cheek as she
turns to an unseen male COMPANION, who has spoken to her
in Spanish. She wipes her eyes and looks off at him.
COMPANION (O.S.)
Hace Calor.
MATTY
What?
COMPANION (O.S.)
It is hot.
MATTY
Yes.
She turns her face to the sun.
FADE OUT.
THE END
